Meaningful Ways to Pass the Time
by Aquatic-Idealist
Summary: Tomoya and Tomoyo have become a couple, but their friends Kyou and Youhei continue walking the path of life alone. Watching them, Tomoyo has a master plan at hand, but will it work for the best?
1. Meaningful Ways to Pass the Time

Disclaimer: If I owned Clannad, Tomoyo After would have a much more hopeful ending, to say the least, and Button plushies would find themselves on the streets of every major city on the globe. But I don't own Clannad, now do I?

Author's note: This does not follow the plot of Tomoyo After. This story is based on the anime and the Tomoyo route of the Visual Novel. I hope you enjoy it, reader.

* * *

Meaningful Ways to Pass The Time

"_Youhei, get me a fruit milk."_

"_Sure... Wait, since when was I your servant?!"_

"_Well, we're a team, right? There has to be a slave... I mean, there has to be someone who understands the master-slave relationship... Wait, I mean, well, there has to be someone who listens to the team leader."_

"_Since when were you the boss of me?! I hate hierarchal relationships!"_

"And you think those two can actually get together?" Tomoya asked with a smile on his face.

Okazaki Tomoya and Sakagami Tomoyo had been dating for some time, but there were people who objected to their relationship. Their main opponent was Fujibayashi Kyou, who for a long time had a crush on Tomoya. With Tomoyo having stolen Okazaki's heart, and with Kyou's fierce temper and stubborn nature, things were bound to get ugly.

Even though Tomoyo did whatever she could to befriend Kyou, deep down in her heart Fujibayashi still had a longtime grudge on Tomoyo for taking the person she loved. Well, Tomoya suspected that what Kyou was feeling wasn't really love, it was merely infatuation...

At least, that's what he hoped.

To make things even more complicated, Sunohara Youhei, Tomoya's longtime friend, also had a crush on someone, and unfortunately for him that someone happened to be Kyou.

Yes, Kyou, the girl who used him for target practice, the girl who'd probably strangle any potential suitor with the sole exception of Okazaki, and the girl who hated Youhei's rotten guts was the one he fell for, and Tomoya was, for the first time ever, sincerely worried for Youhei's life.

But now Tomoyo, feeling a little sorrowful at seeing Kyou and Youhei lonely like this, decided to help them somehow, but Okazaki really didn't think it was a good idea.

"But Tomoya, I think Youhei could use the company..."

"And you think Kyou won't strangle him first?"

"Hasn't Kyou been an old friend of yours?"

"Yeah, and I know her better than you. She'd more likely kill him than date him. It's not going to work."

"Never say never."

"Oh, please, don't tell me you..."

"Tomoya..."

"Fine..." Tomoya groaned. He just couldn't resist her eyes, which was funny because long ago he often saw them flare up at the sight of Youhei. Now, Tomoyo was trying to help the very person she used to beat up so often.

Tomoyo smiled, but Tomoya frowned. "If we're going to do this, then it'll take a lot of work..."

* * *

Sunohara had just gotten off from work. His briefcase hit the ground with a thud as Youhei went over to his couch and slumped down on it. He yawned loudly as he decided to lie down. He had already graduated from high school for about two years now, yet here he was sitting around doing absolutely nothing productive. Sure, he was a clerk at some ordinary law firm, and he technically had a higher paying job than Okazaki, but wasn't his old friend the one who got all the girls while he had to get kicked by some of them and rejected by all?

He was alone, stuck with some stupid job without the chance to go out and have a good time. It wasn't like his school days, where he could sneak away from class and hang out with Okazaki and whichever girl that stud happened to be around. No, if he even thought of ditching, he'd get fired. Life was getting really boring, and nothing exciting happened anymore.

* * *

Training to be a teacher was never that easy. Dealing with kindergarten kids was what Kyou always wanted to do, but seeing their cute little faces made her think of _him_, and of all those people she once knew. Kyou wasn't even twenty-five, but when she looked at those happy, lively faces, she couldn't help but mope around like an old woman.

Ryou had found love. She met Kappei, some guy who happened to work at the same hospital that she interned in, and apparently their relationship quickly turned to love. Kyou sighed as she thought of her quiet, timid younger sister. Even though she was always the strong and forceful one, it looked like Ryou had finally gotten ahead of her in the end. She was proud of Ryou, there was no doubt about that, but seeing Ryou so happy with her lover made Kyou feel just so miserable too.

Come to think of it, some of the people she knew still lived in this city, didn't they? Her old friends were still here, including, well, Tomoya...

But Tomoya didn't share her feelings. He chose Tomoyo, and left her in the dust. But it was her fault for not approaching him earlier, and she missed out. Still, Tomoyo was friendly to her, and Tomoya was still an old friend. It would probably be fun for her to pay them a visit.

* * *

"Sunohara, there's a girl who wants to see you!" Okazaki chuckled over the phone.

"You're lying again, I can tell..." Sunohara groaned on the other end.

"I'm being honest this time!"

"You always give me the short end of the stick, Okazaki!"

"I helped you out with Mei-chan, didn't I?" (1.)

"Well, yeah, you did..." Sunohara sighed. "But if this is some sort of tri.."

"Trust me, Sunohara. You won't regret this!"

"I'd better not..." Tomoya heard a sigh, and the phone clicked.

* * *

Tomoya and Tomoyo didn't exactly live together, but tonight she came to stay by his side for as long as she could. After all, summer had just started and she'd just graduated, while he decided to take a few days off from work.

So when she was cooking dinner, they heard a knock on the door.

"Who'd be coming at this hour? Youhei wouldn't get here till tomorrow night, right?"

"Right..." Tomoya thought absentmindedly. They had forgotten to contact Kyou in time, and she'd probably strangle him for not telling her about the plan in time.

But as Tomoya groggily opened the door, he saw a familiar face.

"Kyou!"

* * *

1. Admittedly, I did not play the game in its entirety. I read the English translation project's work, and thus I included the Sunohara's route in this... I don't think it does the story any harm, now does it?


	2. Phase One

Phase One

"Kyou, it's been so long..." Tomoya blinked as they stared at each other.

Kyou crossed her arms. "Are you going to leave a girl out here in the cold, or will you let me in?"

"Tomoya, don't leave her freezing out there!" Tomoyo added.

"Geez, both of you..." Tomoya groaned as he stepped aside to let her through, closing the door behind her.

"Kyou, it's been a while." Tomoyo smiled.

Kyou blinked for a second, trying to recover from the fact that she still hated Tomoyo a little, while Tomoyo was so sincere at being a friend. "Yeah..." Kyou managed a smile. "It has."

Tomoya stood there for a moment, stunned at the light tension between the two girls as they smiled at each other. "Well, um..."

They both stared at him.

"Tomoyo, you can make a third serving, right?"

"Oh, that's right... Dinner..." Tomoyo quickly shuffled away.

"Dinner?" Kyou blurted out in surprise.

"Yeah, Tomoyo's making dinner. Care to join us?"

"Sure..."

The two shared an awkward silence for a few moments.

"Here, have a seat." Tomoya guided her to a small circle of chairs in their living room.

As they sat down, Kyou smiled. "It's been too long, Tomoya. Have you been well?"

"Um, yeah... Work's been the same, but I've been doing fine. How about you?"

"Huh, tell me about it. I like kids, but sometimes it gets tiring doing the same things every day."

"Hmn... Say, Kyou..."

"Hmn?"

"Speaking of doing the same things every day, would you...?" Tomoya choked on his words.

"Would I what, Tomoya?"

"Would you mind seeing a few old friends again?"

"Hmn? Like who? You're referring to Sunohara, right? There weren't that many people we were both used to... Nagisa kind of disappeared and the friends I had weren't really friends of yours."

"Wait, who was Nagisa?" (1.)

"See? Even you've forgotten about her."

Tomoya gave an embarrassed smile . "Heh, guess I did... So, um, are you willing to see Sunohara again?"

"Where's the harm in it?" Kyou waved her hand. "I'm not thrilled, but he is your friend, and I did know him."

"Hmn..." Tomoya thought. This was not going to end well.

* * *

At dinner, Tomoyo tried to get down to business.

"So, Kyou, Tomoya and I were thinking..."

"Of seeing Youhei, right? I'll be taking a few days off, and I don't mind. It would be nice for all of us to have a little reunion."

"I'm glad you find it so."

Both girls continued smiling at each other, and Tomoya ate his food in fearful silence.

* * *

The next morning, a young man in a ruffled business suit walked down the street, towards the Okazaki residence. His dark grey hair clashed with his blue eyes, and since this was Japan he was literally a walking freak show. But, as usual, nobody cared.

The apartment began to show up, and Sunohara began to walk very, very carefully.

After all, one wrong move and Tomoyo might kick him again.

"At least I won't have to deal with Okazaki Kyou... Man, if that happened I think I'd have a heart attack. At least any normal person can reason with Tomoyo and hope to live. With Kyou, it's 'obey me or die,' and I don't want to die." Sunohara muttered.

But, still, whenever he thought of Kyou Sunohara's cheeks would turn red, and that disturbed him quite a bit. Why did he like her so much? She was violent, bossy, vengeful, unreasonable, angry, and terrifying.

And so darn cute.

Then Sunohara froze. He parked his car a block from here, because he wanted to save gas. But, now he began to regret it.

After all, Kyou was known to spy on people... What if she was still obsessed with Okazaki and was spying on him and Tomoyo at this moment? Then she'd know that he was approaching! At that thought, Sunohara immediately ducked, hoping that nothing was flying his way.

Like a soldier, Sunohara Youhei crawled towards the front porch, ruining a perfectly good suit in an attempt to preserve his life.

He slowly got to the door, and took cover behind it. Peering around, and noticing that there weren't any eyes staring at him from odd places, Sunohara stood up and knocked on the door.

It opened to reveal a young woman dressed in a nightgown, with purple hair that flowed down her shoulders.

"KYOU!" He screamed, leaping back and slamming into the stone floor of the porch.

"Youhei? Good morning..." Kyou yawned sleepily.

"Don't tell me, Tomoya's playing you both?!"

Kyou blinked, trying to understand him. "They went out shopping, and asked me to watch the place. I didn't think you'd get here so early."

"I... I, um..." Sunohara was speechless as his face slowly began to flush.

"Yeah, come in and stop being an idiot. Look, your shirt looks filthy. Do you wash pigs or something as a career? I wouldn't be too surprised." Kyou yawned and stepped aside.

Sunohara took a step in the door.

"Take off your shoes and make sure that your filthy clothes don't touch anything they shouldn't."

"I know how to enter a friend's house!"

"Then do it..."

"Fine, I will." Sunohara scoffed as he stepped into the room.

Kyou chuckled to herself. "Idiots never change." She thought.

Sunohara, too, was quite surprised at seeing her. "Seems like she hasn't changed one bit." He thought to himself.

So Sunohara quickly got in, took of his shoes, and began to walk carefully around.

Kyou continued to stare at the suit. Who would wear a business suit to visit a friend? Maybe those were the only clothes Sunohara wore these days. Then that would mean...

"I take it you're doing well."

"Yeah, I guess." Sunohara chuckled nervously.

"What's wrong?"

"It's just that, well, I expected you to kick me or something."

"If you're not being an idiot, then I don't have to waste my energy."

"Yeah, I thought that." Sunohara chuckled again. Why was she so friendly?

"Anyways..." Kyou waved her hand. "I have to change... Don't you dare think of following me."

"Oh, I will!" Sunohara laughed, perhaps a little too readily, because he immediately saw a fist heading straight for his face.

* * *

When he came to, Sunohara found himself bound to a chair, and he could hear the roar of water and smell the sweet scent of shampoo from a distance. "So she's taking a shower..." Sunohara smirked. "But, wait, isn't this Tomoya's house? Wouldn't she be a rude guest?" He thought.

Using his strength, Sunohara hopped over to the bathroom door. He rammed his head against the door, causing Kyou to cry out in fear.

"What the hell?!" She screamed, turning off the water for a second.

"Hey, this is Okazaki's house, and that's probably Tomoyo's shampoo. Why the hell are you using it?"

"I'm a guest, and an old friend. I can use anything in here, can't I?"

"What are you, shameless?"

"Okazaki used to use your room, and you were fine with it, right?"

"How the hell would you know?!"

"I'm not stupid, ok?"

"More like you're a stalker."

"Why... You! The moment I finish and step out that door, you'd better pray to whatever god you believe in, because you are going to visit Him very soon."

"Shit..." Sunohara quickly hopped away.

* * *

Tomoyo was the first to return home. She was quite surprised to find a beaten Youhei sprawled on the floor of her lover's house. Kyou stood with her foot on his forehead, and smiled sweetly at her. "What did he do now?" Tomoyo asked, staring back at Youhei as though he was some kind of weed.

"What else would he be doing? He was being an idiot, of course!"

"Ah... I figured." Tomoyo nodded and started unpacking the groceries she was carrying.

"Where's Tomoya?" Kyou asked.

"Right here..." Okazaki panted, staggering into the room with his bags.

"What a helpless guy..." Tomoyo sighed. "Should I help you carry them?"

"No... I'm... Fine..." Tomoya wheezed.

"How funny. Your female does a better job than you." Kyou chuckled.

For a second both Tomoya and Tomoyo froze. If Kyou referred to Tomoyo as 'your female' to Tomoya, it might mean that Kyou was finally accepting the fact that they were a couple and that she wouldn't be able to butt in and seize Tomoya. This would also mean that Kyou was accepting the fact that she would still be single for a while, and since people tend to want to find a lover when they were single, she might be more willing to give Sunohara a chance. Tomoyo gasped when she thought that her plan might actually work.

Kyou noticed her gasp. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing." Tomoyo smiled. Kyou stared at her suspiciously for a few seconds, then shrugged it off and continued to stare down at Youhei, amused at the fact that he was still lying still.

"Guess Sunohara will never grow up, will he?" Tomoya laughed.

"I didn't do anything, she's the one who attacked me!" The three heard a protest as Youhei finally woke up. He began to flail around, and Kyou immediately put the entire bottom of her foot over his eyes, nose, and mouth. "Shut up..." She sighed.

Tomoya stared at Tomoyo with a tired glance. She could tell that stare. He was basically telling her that she was dead wrong, and she glared back at him, making him flinch.

"Guess we still have plenty of work to do..." Tomoya groaned to himself as he watched Sunohara shake helplessly, trying to get Kyou's foot off his face.

* * *

1. Mind you, in the Tomoyo route, if Tomoya remembers Nagisa, he misses out on Tomoyo. Silly developers!


	3. A Push in the Right Direction

Warning: A bit angsty, but it will even out later.

A Push in the Right Direction

"Well, now that everyone's here, why don't we go out for a bit?" Tomoyo offered, seeing the same bored expression everywhere she looked.

"That's a decent idea. It's not like this place is big enough or clean enough for the four of us." Kyou sighed, shaking her head.

It was Tomoyo's turn to feel insulted. She tried to clean the place, but Tomoya's father was the kind of man who would make a mess. That, and Tomoya seemed too lazy to clean the place up himself. She had to go to school for quite a while, so she was unable to help him much. It wasn't like she sat on her butt all day doing nothing!

Both girls exchanged light glares, and both Sunohara and Tomoya flinched and backed away from them.

"Anyways, I think that Youhei should drive. After all, he's the only idiot among us." Kyou sighed.

"What?! But I... Okazaki, tell her what's best!" Sunohara growled.

"But it seems like I've run out of oil for my car. Sunohara, you're a good friend, right? Why don't we use yours?"

A vein bulged in Sunohara Youhei's forehead. "First, my room. Then, my time. And then, my energy. And finally, my car. DO I HAVE TO SACRIFICE EVERYTHING FOR A PAIN IN THE NECK LIKE YOU?!" He roared.

Kyou and Tomoyo's eyes widened as a pissed off Sunohara turned on Okazaki.

Tomoyo stepped forward, wanting to help Tomoya fend off that rodent, but Kyou grabbed her arm. "It's no use. You'll only end up giving both of them a concussion or two. Here, let's let those idiots bond some more, and we'll head off somewhere and have a chat. We'll use my truck."

"You have a truck?" Tomoyo blinked as both girls left the house, leaving Okazaki and Sunohara beating the snot out of each other on the ground.

* * *

A blue pickup clamored along a rocky road. It bounced and shook every few meters, and both driver and passenger found themselves shaking just as furiously. But even as their surroundings showed such violence, within the truck the air was far more peaceful. (1.)

"Tomoyo... Thank you..." Kyou spoke, her eyes not leaving the windshield in front of her.

"Why, Kyou?" Tomoyo seemed confused.

"You took care of him, when I couldn't."

"Even so, you also watched his back, didn't you? It's not like I was the only one trying to give him support..."

"Still, you achieved what I could not..."

"I'm sorry you still feel so bitter..."

"Well, how do I put this? He... He chose you, and I watched him for so long, but he didn't even give a glance to show that he cared or appreciated it..."

"Kyou..."

"That idiot... Can be so dense. You have no idea how blessed you are, Tomoyo... If he were any more idiotic, he'd be alone and you'd be just like me, the two of us sitting in this truck crying over a man who wouldn't give a damn about either of us... But you're so lucky, you got through to him. I... I never had that chance."

Tomoyo was about to say something, but her mouth snapped shut. With sorrowful expressions, both girls went into silence. Their eyes stared forward at the road. Kyou's purple orbs looked like they were about to melt with sorrow, while Tomoyo's blue ones were full of regret and sympathy. She stole the man this woman loved...

But, even so, Tomoyo loved Tomoya, maybe even more than Kyou did... No matter how guilty she felt, Tomoya was hers. But, but she had to help Kyou somehow... Sunohara Youhei just seemed too perfect a chance to pass up... She had to tell her!

"Kyou... Forgive me..."

"Hmn?" For once, Kyou finally turned so that her eyes met Tomoyo's.

"There... Are more fish in the sea... A strong woman like you could easily find another."

"I wish it was so simple." Kyou gave a bitter laugh. "I'm not an idiot... Not like Tomoya..." With that, Kyou faced the road once again. "I... I know that many men fear me. They're afraid of my strength, of my short temper. Of all the boys I knew, Tomoya was one of the only ones who could talk to me relatively normally."

"Even Sunohara would gasp in fear when he saw you..." Tomoyo mumbled.

Kyou sighed. Tomoyo seemed to be acting weird lately, but she decided not to be nosy. "I doubt I'll be able to find another like _him_... That's why you're so lucky."

"But, just like Tomoya was stupid enough to ignore you, do you ever think that you might not have seen a boy who actually liked you?" Tomoyo asked.

Kyou gasped, and the truck swerved slightly. "What the hell?!" Her eyes widened. "It can't be... I... You're just trying to make me feel better, and I thank you for it. But there couldn't be anyone!"

"They say that things are hardest to find when they're right under your nose."

"Whom... Whom are you thinking of?"

"Just think about it. You're pretty smart." Tomoyo smiled and turned so that her head faced the window.

For a few seconds, Kyou could only stare at Tomoyo, her face contorted with shock, but she quickly had to turn her eyes back to the road and continue driving.

* * *

A trail of blood ran down from Youhei's nose, and he could taste it.

Okazaki had a black eye, and staggered as he started to get up.

Sunohara also tried to get up, having been punched several times in the ribs. He gasped a little, and looked up at his friend.

Both pointed at each other's wounds, and burst out laughing.

"Takes you back, doesn't it?" Okazaki chuckled.

"Sure does..." Sunohara limped over to the kitchen sink to wash himself off. Soon, Tomoya joined him and both men tried to clean their wounds.

Sunohara breathed deeply as he and Okazaki sat on the couch together, like two warriors after a fierce duel.

"Well, now will you quit using me as a tool for whatever you want?"

"We're close friends, right?"

"Use that excuse one more time, and I'll smash your face in."

"You're starting to sound like Kyou... Maybe you two aren't that bad of a match after all..."

"What are you talking about?" Sunohara stammered, even though he was blushing. "You remember what happened the last time I tried to date Kyou."

"_Did you see that, Okazaki? She rejected me again..." Sunohara groaned, staring back at Class 3-E with a depressed look on his face._

"_Well, aren't there plenty of people who can't really express their true feelings?"_

"_Eh?"_

"_I'm saying that maybe Fujibayashi Kyou... About you..."_

"_Seriously?!"_

"_As far as I can tell..."_

"_Hah! So even she has a cute side!" Sunohara laughed and ran back towards the classroom._

"_Kyou! You're cute!" He yelled as loud as he could._

_BAM! A dictionary got him square in the face, and he collapsed on the ground._

"That bruise didn't heal for two weeks! Kyou hates my guts... It would never work out..." Sunohara sighed and stared at the ground.

"But you want it to, don't you?"

"Well, I... What I want and what's reality hardly ever matches." Sunohara sighed again.

"Didn't it look like I'd merely be a nuisance to someone like Tomoyo, yet she ended up staying with me. Who knows? Maybe Kyou might eventually accept you. After all, I've heard that some girls bully the guys they like in the hope that they'll think of them often."

"And you think I'd like that kind of girl...?"

"You like Kyou, and she tends to bully you mercilessly, so maybe."

"I'm not a doormat, Okazaki!"

"Hmn... I wonder..."

"Say something like that again and I'll kick your ass!"

"See, you're just like Kyou, there."

"Okazaki, you bastard! Shut up already!"

* * *

Kyou and Tomoyo sat at a bench, watching the sun set.

The purple haired girl stroked her chin. "It's Youhei, isn't it?"

"Hmn?" Tomoyo blinked, turning to her former rival turned friend.

"The boy whom you said liked me, but who I never noticed... Is Sunohara Youhei, isn't it?"

"Why don't you find out for yourself?"

"No... I think I already know. There was a time where he was seriously trying to date me. Yeah, I overheard him blabber on with Tomoya about how he wouldn't be happy with me as a girlfriend, but then he suddenly started trying to date me, and after a while he continued to act more strangely than usual around me. He wouldn't do that to you, but whenever he was close to me I could tell that he was acting funny..."

"Well, yes, I was referring to Youhei."

"And so you were trying to set the two of us up this whole time, weren't you?" Kyou stared intently at Tomoyo, who was forced to nod.

"Are you angry with me?" Tomoyo looked worried.

"Why would I be? You're just trying to be a friend, trying to find a way to help me move on, and I thank you... Youhei's an idiot, no doubt, but he can be a decent person when you need him to be. Look how he sticks by Tomoya even when he treats him like shit. Youhei's the kind of guy who's willing to do anything for a friend. He's not like Tomoya, who'd..." At this point Kyou became teary eyed. "Who'd abandon one so readily!"

Tomoyo was completely speechless. She felt as though opening her mouth would be an insult to Kyou, so she remained silent.

"But... But Youhei's so disgusting on so many levels... His room tends to look like crap, he hardly cleans himself, and he's an extreme pervert. That, and he never learns from his mistakes..." Kyou sighed and kept her head bowed.

"But he's a good man..." Tomoyo blurted out.

Kyou nodded. "There's no doubt in my mind. Youhei's a good man. Sometimes, I'd go so far as to call him noble... But not always, though." She smiled a little, her eyes returning to the beautiful sky as the sun dipped under the horizon.

* * *

That night, Tomoyo and Kyou finally made it back to the house.

When they arrived at the door, they smelled something good. "I wonder..." Kyou smirked. "Would those two actually treat us to dinner, for once?"

Tomoyo blinked. "Are you afraid of what it'll taste like?"

Kyou chuckled. "A little... But knowing how those two eat, it'll probably be decent."

They opened to door to find both men in aprons, diligently working at the kitchen.

"Oh? Tomoyo! Kyou!" Tomoya called.

"Eh? Oh, you two..." Sunohara added matter-of-factly.

"What do you mean by 'you two?'" Kyou's eyes narrowed.

Sunohara flinched. "Oh, I meant nothing... Nothing at all!"

"It's so late... Why don't you three stay for the night?" Tomoya offered.

"Your father..." Kyou began.

"Wouldn't give a damn." Tomoya replied, a light bitter tone to his voice.

"I'd love to, as always..." Tomoyo spoke.

"Well, sure. What about you, Youhei?" Kyou asked him.

For a second, Sunohara froze. For the first time ever, Kyou actually asked about him. "Of course I will!" He beamed.

"Alright, then... I guess you can continue what you were doing..." Kyou laughed and sat down at the dining table.

With a great sigh, Sunohara went back to work making dinner, with Tomoya helping him, of course.

* * *

Dinner was 'adequate,' by Kyou's standard, and with that, the four decided to take a rest.

As for sleeping arrangements, Tomoya slept on a couch, Sunohara slept on a sleeping bag on the floor, Tomoyo slept on a chair beside the couch, and, seeing it unoccupied, Kyou took the bed. It was weird, to say the least, to know that his girl-friend and not his lover was sleeping on his bed, but Tomoya decided to accept it. After all, Kyou had already accepted that she never had and never will hold that special place in Tomoya's heart.

* * *

1. I don't know if pickup trucks even roam around in Japan, but the fact that Kyou wore the clothes of a female 80s rocker in the eighteenth episode of the anime, and the fact that she's so spirited and sometimes 'boyish' in nature, I feel that a pickup truck suits her. It's capable of moving through terrain other cars (except for SUVs, and those guzzle gas like crazy, which a kindergarten teacher like her wouldn't be able to afford) just can't, and it represents that rugged attitude these free-spirited people have.


	4. Phase Two

Phase Two

The next morning, the couple went to brush their teeth together, while Sunohara continued to snore away. After a short while, Kyou got up to find Sunohara still sleeping, and she tiptoed towards him. She stroked her chin, thinking of another prank to pull on the idiot, while Tomoya and Tomoyo discussed their current agenda in the restroom.

"So is it working?" Tomoyo asked him.

"I tried to get Sunohara to accept and take action regarding his feelings for Kyou, but he's still a pansy. How about you?"

"I got Kyou to actually consider Youhei a bit... She even smiled when I reminded her that Youhei is a good man... She even called him noble at times."

"Wow... I guess those romance novels must have paid off."

"But I don't read those mushy things..."

"I'm joking! But, seriously, why is it that girls have an easier time talking about these things?"

"Well... Well I'm not too sure about that."

"Hmn..."

The two continued their morning preparations, of sorts, while Kyou began to act out her scheme.

* * *

Sunohara Youhei woke up...

And found himself bound like a cocoon, hanging upside down from the ceiling. The white bandages and rope made it quite difficult for him to move.

"I always wondered why there were hooks on the ceiling." Kyou laughed. "Now I know."

"Fujibayashi! Get me down from here, now!" Sunohara wiggled back and forth, and his massive form swayed from side to side.

"You'd make a good punching bag." Kyou giggled.

"GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!"

* * *

Tomoya and Tomoyo heard Sunohara's cry for help and emerged. Upon seeing the giant cocoon in their living room, they could only join Kyou in ridiculing the poor fellow.

"Tomoyo, Okazaki, get me down or I'll accuse both of you of kidnapping me!"

The couple stared at each other.

"I guess he can stay up there for a little while longer. What do you think, Tomoyo?"

"Sure."

"WHAT?!"

Kyou laughed. "See? You make a good decoration!"

"FUJIBAYASHI, GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!"

Kyou giggled. "No."

"Kyou!"

"Sorry, Youhei. You should find a way to free yourself instead of making yourself feel better by making your begs sound like orders." Kyou sneered.

"She apologizes to him?" Tomoya whispered in Tomoyo's ear.

Tomoyo gave her lover a rare devious smile. "But she sneered at him. I believe those cancel each other out."

"Ah..."

"Fujibayashi!"

"Tomoya, let's go get lunch." Tomoyo spoke, trying to drown out Youhei's pleas.

"Sure... Want to join us, Kyou?"

"Of course." Kyou smiled, giving Youhei a wink.

For a second, Sunohara froze, then he began to shake even more violently. "YOU THREE! WHEN I GET MY HANDS ON YOU!"

* * *

Tomoya, Tomoyo, and Kyou were gathered around a small table in Tomoya's favorite café. "Don't you think you're getting a little too harsh on him, Kyou?" Tomoyo began.

"Don't tell me, you're actually worried about that idiot?" Kyou gasped.

"Well, not really, but I thought you wouldn't want him to suffer like that..."

"If he can't free himself from something like that, then he wouldn't deserve my care."

"But Kyou..."

"No. Shut up. Sunohara Youhei has been a loser, and I have no desire to be with a loser. If he can't even solve his own problems, how can he expect to work together with any girl later in life, let alone someone like me? So no, I don't give a damn."

* * *

The cocoon shivered a bit, rustling every ten minutes. "Why can't I get out of here?!" Sunohara groaned as he used his strength to try to shake himself loose. But try as he might, the stupid thing refused to give way, and after a few hours of trial and error, Sunohara gave up. "I might as well catch up on sleep..." He thought as his consciousness began to fade away.

Sunohara Youhei fell asleep upside down, that day, while his three best friends continued to talk about him.

* * *

"Seriously... If Youhei can't solve his own problems, how can he expect to get married?" Kyou sighed.

"You talk about him so much..." Tomoya hinted, but a glare from Kyou forced him into silence.

"Did you have to be so extreme about it?" Tomoyo offered.

"Well, yeah. He needs to solve his own crises, or he'll just be some doormat like he was back in high school." Kyou sighed, staring out the window of the shop. Both Tomoya and Tomoyo decided to change the subject, otherwise she might end up killing one of them.

* * *

The day came and went, and by the evening Kyou was forced to ask Tomoya to stay for the next three nights. Since it was summer, and she honestly had nothing to do, she decided to stick around for a few more days. Tomoya decided to accept, and Tomoyo decided to stay too, as she practically had the same situation as Kyou on her hands.

So Kyou, happy that she now had a place to stay, with close friends that she could talk to the whole time, entered Tomoya's house, hoping that, to make a perfect ending for the day, Youhei would have freed himself from the cocoon. But, the moment she saw the cocoon still hanging there, with Youhei snoring in it, she flipped out.

"KYAAH!!" She sprinted forward, jumped, and performed a perfect flying side kick, smacking her foot against the huge cocoon and shattering it, forcing Youhei to plummet to the ground.

"IDIOT!" She growled, beating him with her fists and kicking him mercilessly with her foot.

"Kyou, calm down!" Both Tomoya and Tomoyo pleaded with her, but it was all in vain.

"You worthless piece of trash! You should just go and rot in the streets!" Kyou continued to screech, pummeling the poor Sunohara with whatever she had, be it a fist, foot, or thick dictionary.

She went to sleep that day after the torture was finally over, feeling very angry and hurt that Sunohara was so worthless that couldn't even solve his own problem.

Youhei decided that he'd leave early the next morning. That way he wouldn't have to face the wrath of Kyou. So, when the other three were sleeping, he slipped out of Tomoya's house, and fled off to work. At least there he wouldn't be physically abused.

* * *

So Kyou woke up and found that Sunohara Youhei, like a loser, ran back to his little home. She felt so horrible that he was such a pathetic guy. Tomoyo and Tomoya honestly had nothing to say to her, otherwise she'd probably kill them both. With a heavy heart, Kyou left a few days later. She decided that this would probably the best time to visit her little sister, Fujibayashi Ryou.


	5. Nonidentical Twins

Nonidentical Twins

The Fujibayashi clan was quite strange, Sunohara decided as he headed back to his office.

Seriously, they had two daughters: one who was a rabid eagle, and the other who was more timid than a mouse. How did that work? They were supposedly identical twins! They should be the same in appearance and all that, but sometimes Ryou seemed shorter, and there was that thing about their eyes... Come to think of it, it was scary how Kyou's was purple and Ryou's was blue. Did Kyou really spend all that money on colored contacts just to make herself seem different than her sister? The ribbon on the opposite side of the head was enough, wasn't it?

Kyou was something, that girl was. With the viciousness that Tomoyo lacked, the strong-will Ryou lacked, and the balls Sunohara himself sometimes lacked, Kyou was quite a powerful person. It was surprising, to be honest, that she was a girl who had fallen for a dope like Tomoya... Then again, if Tomoya was a dope, then what the hell was Sunohara?

* * *

Kyou muttered bitterly to herself.

Sunohara was an idiot, and though Tomoyo was kind in trying to help Kyou end her loneliness, the fact was that even when Kyou tried to give him a chance to prove that he wasn't useless, Sunohara still proved that, yes, he was a worthless scumbag. Kyou sighed. How could she possibly end up dating that idiot?

But what was even more embarrassing was the fact that she was still thinking about it even though hours had passed... Kyou figured that it's probably because nothing notable happened since then, and thus her mind kept itself preoccupied on something that would keep her from going mad.

* * *

A blue pickup rumbled along, rattling up and down as it moved over a few pebbles of gravel. Finally, it came to a stop on the sidewalk, in front of a small condo on the edge of town.

Kyou emerged from her truck with a yawn. She hadn't moved much, besides turning the wheel now and then, and that made her feel quite lazy.

"Sis?" She heard a voice.

Turning about, she saw a younger woman with short, purple hair and blue eyes. "Ah, Ryou..." Kyou smirked, approaching her sister.

"I thought you would be at work..."

"It's summer, so when the students are off, I'm off."

"Oh... That's great!"

"It sure is..."

"So... Sis... You... You came to visit me?"

"Of course. We haven't talked in such a long time, but why are you so hesitant?"

"Well... I..." Ryou blushed a little, her eyes drifting off to her condo.

"Ah... Kappei's living with you, isn't he?" Kyou stroked her chin with a smile.

"Sis!..." Ryou gasped. (1.)

* * *

"You know, it's quite unsettling..." Tomoyo mumbled when she and Okazaki were sitting around on a couch in their home.

"What's unsettling?" Tomoya asked with some interest.

"I remember that Kyou always had a grudge against me for 'taking' you, but to have her suddenly lighten up to me... Does that mean that Kyou was serious about Youhei?"

"Why are you showing such concern now? Weren't you the one who wanted to go through this whole thing in the first place?"

"Well, yes, but..."

"No butts. Like I said, if we're going to actually help that loser get a girl like Kyou as his lover, then we can't regret anything. Kyou befriending you actually makes our lives so much easier. Any misplaced feelings on her part and we're pretty much screwed."

"You should put more faith in Sunohara."

"True..."

"Anyways, Kyou looked pretty mad... Maybe she does care about him."

"If she does, we'd better make a new plan... I think Youhei pissed her off."

* * *

Kappei was a great guy. He was good for Ryou... Kyou thought happily as she went back to her truck.

But why couldn't she find a suitable man? Tomoyo got Tomoya, Ryou got Kappei, and yet she got no one. Was her personality really that scary?

Kyou turned and stared at Ryou and Kappei's condo for a few more minutes. Did that mean that she should be more gentle, like Ryou?

No... She couldn't lie to herself like that. She was Fujibayashi Kyou, and she would let nobody control her, not even the one she loved!

* * *

That evening, Kyou reached her apartment and turned on the news.

Nothing special seemed to happen, except for a particular report:

"A three car collision blocked traffic on the Tornei expressway today. (2.) Seven people were injured in the crash. Two escaped with minor injuries while the rest are in critical condition. The following names have been retrieved among the victims..." A small bar appeared under the broadcaster, listing names, and Kyou's eyes widened when she saw one of those names...

"It couldn't be! It's not far from here... I'd better call the hospital. Ah, Ryou!" Kyou gasped as she grabbed her cell and dialed Ryou's number.

* * *

A blue pickup swerved along the streets, finally parking itself in the guest parking lot of the hospital where Ryou worked.

Kyou burst through the front entrance. "I'm here to visit Sunohara Youhei, room 147." She stammered. The nurse nodded and Kyou flew off.

By the time she arrived, she found that Tomoyo and Tomoya had already beaten her to it.

"Ah, so you've come too..." Tomoyo chuckled.

"Will he be alright?" Kyou spoke quickly.

"He's fine... Just a few broken bones. He'll be here for a few days, I hear, but afterwards he'll just be limping around on crutches and a cast. Youhei'll make it, don't worry."

"Whew... Hearing that from you makes me feel better. You know how fast he heals better than anyone else." Kyou breathed a sigh of relief.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You beat him so many times and you've seen how fast his recovery is."

"Ah... Well, do you want to visit him?"

"Sure..."

Tomoyo quickly stepped aside to let Kyou in.

* * *

"Ah... To think of the day when a girl would come visit me when I am wounded. Oh, what a glorious feeling! Oh, what a glori..." With those lines, it was fitting for Kyou to punch him the stomach.

"What the hell?!" Sunohara gasped.

"It was the only place not covered in bandages!" Kyou stammered.

Tomoya could only watch in shock. Since when did Kyou care about Sunohara so much? She seemed to treat Youhei like a diseased fly most of the time.

"Pah..." Sunohara sighed. "Anyways, Kyou, thanks for being here."

"No... No problem." Kyou beamed, then turned away, embarrassed.

Tomoya smirked to himself. How was Tomoyo so shrewd as to know that Kyou would be willing to give someone like Sunohara a chance?

"Anyways... Since you'll be fine, I guess I don't need to stay here any longer." Kyou's smile quickly turned into a bitter frown, and she marched out of the room.

"What... The...?" Sunohara blinked, as did Tomoya.

With a confused expression, Sunohara turned to Tomoya. "Do you think it's her time of the..."

A notepad flew from behind Tomoya and slammed into Youhei's forehead. As Sunohara collapsed on his bed, Tomoya picked it up and handed it back to Kyou, who was strolling back to the hospital room.

"Thanks. I'd better get going." Kyou smiled and sprinted off.

Tomoya sighed. Maybe Tomoyo shouldn't be so hopeful...

* * *

A few weeks passed uneventfully. But during that time Sunohara got to chat with an old acquaintance.

"So, what should I call you now? Fujibayashi? Ryou? Nurse?" Sunohara chuckled as he shifted about in bed.

"Just call me Ryou, Youhei." Ryou smiled. As a nurse, she personally tended to her old friend Youhei Sunohara.

"Ah..."

"After all, we are old friends, right?... But don't get the wrong idea. I have a boyfriend now."

"Oh? Really?" Sunohara seemed strangely interested.

"Yes. His name is Kappei. My sister's gotten along with him pretty well, and I think you, Tomoya, and Tomoyo will too."

"You seem to have quite a bit of faith in him."

Ryou blinked. "Huh? Why wouldn't I?"

"Well, let's just say that..."

"Sunohara, do I have to call my sister over here?"

"No... Of course not, Ryou!"

"Glad to hear... Now get yourself some rest..." Ryou smiled and walked out of the room.

"Why does everyone hate me?!" Sunohara groaned.

* * *

So once Sunohara Youhei recovered from the accident, Ryou invited him to her place. After all, they hadn't talked much since graduation, and it was fitting for two old friends to have their paths cross again.

"So you're Sunohara Youhei, huh? Nice to meet you. I'm Hiiragi Kappei. I've heard quite a few things about you from Ryou and Kyou."

"Ah, well, half the things Kyou said might be lies, and..."

Sunohara heard someone sneeze, and froze.

"And, um, uh... I'm actually a much better guy than Ryou thinks..."

He heard another sneeze, and shivered a little.

"Is something wrong?" Kappei asked.

"Is... Is Kyou around here, by any chance?"

"Well, I did see her earlier today."

"Crap." Suohara thought. If Kyou was here, he'd better duck or something might hit him again.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's nothing... I'm just scared of Kyou."

"Why?"

"Don't tell me... She's never been pissed at you?"

"Not at all. She's quite a nice girl. I'm proud of the idea that she'll be my future sister-in-law."

"Oh... Well, then... I guess you've seen her rare good side. If you ask our old friend Okazaki Tomoya, or even his lover Sakagami Tomoyo, they'll tell you all about how Kyou can be such a violent witch."

"That's... Those are pretty harsh words."

"But I speak the truth."

"Well, I suppose everyone gets angry once in a while."

"Oh, Kyou's 'angry' mode and her 'normal' mode are far from what most people consider 'angry' and 'normal.' Heck, the only time when she's friendly are the times when you're critically wounded. While other people would be screaming and calling for an ambulance, she'll merely smile at you and shake your hand."

* * *

Turns out, Kyou and Ryou were really listening in on their conversation.

"Sis... I feel like I'm violating their privacy..." Ryou whispered.

"Silly... Don't you want to know how Kappei will react to that idiot? Besides... He said such cruel things about both of us..."

"But sis, that's just between Youhei and Kappei. We're not involved."

"Like hell we aren't! Do you think that I could sit by and hear him abuse us both with his words?"

"It's not like Youhei means to insult us... He just wants to protect his dignity as a man, that's all. Tomoya and Kappei are no different than him in that way."

Kyou wanted to rebut, but she couldn't think of anything to say.

"Let's... Let's let them be, sis." Ryou mumbled.

"Fine, fine...' Kyou sighed and the two slipped quietly away.

* * *

"I'm sorry you feel that way about Kyou." Kappei mumbled with a frown.

"Well, heh, heh, I'm not the only one, Hiiragi... I should introduce you to Okazaki. He'll definitely recite to you the various misdemeanors of that demon."

Kappei shook his head and didn't answer for a time, and as Sunohara watched his companion's troubled expression, he began to feel guilty, for some reason... For the first time ever, he felt that if Kyou were to suddenly throw a dictionary at him now, well, he'd deserve it...

But why did he feel guilty in the first place? It was the truth, wasn't it? Kyou was far too violent for her own good, and no one who truly knew her could possibly deny that. And yet he felt as though he was being very harsh on her...

* * *

Kyou, of course, felt like strangling Youhei, but if she did that right in front of Kappei, it would prove that Youhei wasn't lying at all. The older Fujibayashi sister sighed, realizing that she'd have nothing to do back home either, as it was still summer and there wouldn't be any new students till fall. Since Ryou had to go to work, and Kappei was with Sunohara, Kyou decided to bother Tomoya and Tomoyo again.

* * *

"I never knew that Kyou was like that..." Kappei chuckled worriedly.

"Well, she tends to protect Ryou like a mother bear protects its cub, so if you try to be a man around Ryou, Kyou'll probably kill you. Watch out, man."

"But... But Kyou's still a nice girl at times, isn't she? She's not _that_ violent, right?" (3.)

"Well..." At this point Sunohara began to feel even more guilty. "... Yeah... Yeah, she has her kinder side... Just that I've hardly had the chance to see it..." Youhei sighed and bowed his head.

Kappei took one look at Sunohara, and stroked his chin. "I see... So that's how it is."

"What?"

"Oh, it's nothing." Kappei laughed. "Hey, I'm going to get some lunch. Will you tag along?"

"Sure."

* * *

1. Ryou says "Onee-Chan" quite a bit in the anime. However, this is an English fanfic and because of that I'm not going to use Japanese for every third word. Just to clear things up.

2. I looked up Japanese expressways, because Tomoya and the others are Japanese after all. This was the first expressway to come up, so I jotted it down. I have no idea where its exact location is, nor, honestly, do I care. The point is not where it is, but who was on it. That's all I'll say.

3. I'm worried that I made Kappei too serious for his own good. Well, I've always thought of him as easy to get along with close friends, but since he's a bit spoiled, he tends to have a harder time following instructions or dealing with small, impressionable children, as he tends to want to do things his way... For example, when he told some kids some very graphic fairytales involving people getting skewered and heavy physical abuse. I hope that it doesn't ruin Kappei's character too much, and I'll try to restore him to his usual self...


	6. Phase Three

Warning: Language, but it's mostly done at appropriate times.

Phase Three

"You know, Kyou, I think that you should find something to do instead of hanging around in my place all the time..." Tomoya yawned when he found Kyou wandering around in his living room.

"That's rude of you! And did you just wake up or something?" Kyou's eyes narrowed.

"Erm, yeah..."

"So, um, did Tomoyo go back home?"

"Yeah, she said she had to talk to her younger brother about something..."

"She has a brother?"

"Oh, right, I never told you about him. His name is Takafumi, and he's actually a pretty nice kid. Tomoyo says that he's the reason why she changed from a violent person in the past to the girl she is now."

"Huh... I hope I can meet him someday."

"I'm sure you'll get that chance... Kyou, what do you think of Tomoyo now?"

"Wha-?"

"It's just that, back when we were in high school the two of you used to fight... Well, over me..."

"If you're wondering whether I'm still interested in you, well, I've gotten over it. You've been my friend for quite a while, and now you're like a brother to me. After all, you have to support Tomoyo, right? Anyways, Tomoyo was always nice to me even when I hated her, and because of that, well, I feel as though we can set those aside and become friends."

"That's... That's good to hear."

"It is, isn't it?"

"Kyou..."

"Yeah?"

"What do you think of Sunohara?"

Kyou's cheeks turned pink as she stumbled backwards. "What?! Why are you asking me this?!"

Tomoya smiled knowingly.

Kyou's eyes narrowed at that smile. "What are you planning?!"

"Oh, nothing. Nothing at all..."

Kyou glared at him. "I guess I'll have to watch my back from now on..." Kyou stroked her chin. Maybe she would have to ask Tomoyo to wring some answers out of Tomoya for her. As Tomoya stared after her, Kyou left his home, since she felt uncomfortable with Tomoya being weird, and decided to take her truck out for a drive.

* * *

Weeks passed as Sunohara went back and forth from his workplace to the town where his friends lived. Slowly, but surely, he began to get used to the place. There were a few firms in this area, and since he had work experience he could probably apply to one of them. Besides, all his friends were here: Tomoya and Tomoyo, Ryou, Kappei, but the person whom we wanted to see the most among them was Kyou...

At that point Sunohara froze. "Why the hell did I just think that?" He blurted out.

He liked Kyou... Hell, he had a crush on her ever since high school, but even if he liked her looks and her strong-will, the fact was that she had a very impulsive, violent, unreasonable, and furious personality. Tomoya had hit the jackpot with a girl like Tomoyo: strong, brave, agreeable, tough, and gentle, but Kyou basically shared Tomoyo's bravery and toughness but had none of her gentleness and kindness. A man could live happily with Tomoyo as a wife. With Kyou, however, he'd have to worry if he'd live long enough to father her children before she'd rip his head off.

But, unlike Tomoyo, Kyou wasn't nearly as vulnerable. Tomoyo's will could easily crack if she was worried about the person she loved, but Kyou wouldn't show such a weakness to anyone. She'd kick the enemy's arse first, and then worry if her mate was still alive. The only person to whom she gave protection was Ryou, and she also protected Botan, but even towards Tomoya, the boy she liked, Kyou was still violent and easily angered most of the time.

Sunohara gulped. If he kept this up, he was going to die, wasn't he? But if Kyou hated him, why did she run over to visit him in the hospital?... It didn't make any sense. If Kyou hadn't been taking drugs, or if she hadn't been drinking, or if she didn't eat three pounds of sugar, then she would probably have left him to die... She had to have done one of those things in order to be nice (or drugged/drunk/hyper) enough to visit him.

Sunohara was confused, but no matter how confused he was, he knew that he had liked Kyou deep down, but what he didn't realize was that Kyou was even more confused.

* * *

"Why him... Why would I care so much about him, of all people?" Kyou mumbled as her truck rumbled along.

She drove a bit further until she passed a small shopping center. In its parking lot, a familiar person was approaching a black car. "That's Tomoyo!" Kyou thought to herself. She quickly parked herself on the sidewalk and exited her truck, eager to talk to her friend.

Tomoyo spotted that flash of purple hair, and since she didn't really know Ryou that well, she suspected that it was Kyou. Sure enough, she was right, and the two friends quickly embraced.

"I didn't think I'd find you here!" Kyou laughed.

"Missing me already? Hmn..." Tomoyo blinked, quite surprised.

"Well, it's just that you're such an easygoing person, and you're not an idiot, not like Sunohara..." Kyou chuckled.

"And it's because I'm unemployed, so you can hang out with me. You can't hang out with Ryou or Kappei because they have work, right?"

"Well, that too..."

"Ah, well. What's up?"

"Nothing, really... I just thought we could hang out."

"Sure. I've already gotten what I need..."

"Great... Say, there's this really great café..."

* * *

Tomoyo and Kyou sat facing each other in that small café, and Tomoyo smiled suddenly as she stared straight ahead.

"Hmn?" Kyou was surprised. Tomoyo wasn't the kind of person to smile out of the blue. But Tomoyo looked deep in thought, so Kyou decided to continue eating her snack, letting herself drift into her own thoughts.

After a while, Tomoyo spoke. "I remember..."

"Hmn?" Kyou snapped out of her daydream to listen to her friend.

"The day when Tomoya stood up for me... Against Youhei..."

"What did Youhei do?"

"Youhei was having problems with some of the thugs around here, the same thugs I used to take down. You've heard the rumors, and many of them are true... I don't think I need to explain. Anyways, he wanted me to be a bodyguard of sorts, a shield against them so that they wouldn't bother him. Tomoya saw that I was being used as such, and thus he convinced Youhei to bring me here instead. It's scary to think that this place is close to where those thugs hang out, but I'm sure they won't dare to stick around here..."

"Tomoyo..."

"Don't get me wrong, I don't hold any hard feelings against Youhei, even if he tried to use me for his own gains. After all, if he were truly a selfish person, he wouldn't have relented and brought me here. Sunohara Youhei just needs to be pushed a little, like a rock that sits casually on a slope. It takes a push to force that rock to move. I'm sure that you'll be able to push him and keep him rolling in the right direction, it's something he really needs."

At this point Kyou began to turn pink and turned away from Tomoyo. "What are you talking about?" She stammered.

Tomoyo smirked and stroked her chin knowingly. "Kyou, don't you think that you're just lying to yourself?"

Kyou gave Tomoyo one long, hard glance. "Tomoyo, sorry, but shut up."

"Ok..." Tomoyo sighed, looking away.

* * *

"First Kyou, then Youhei... Is there some conspiracy of bored people going on?" Tomoya yawned when he saw Sunohara wandering around his room.

"What are you talking about, Okazaki?"

"Having absolutely nothing to do, Kyou just wandered around here, and now you show up..."

"And you have a problem with that?"

"No, it's just that I've been so used to you guys living your own lives. I feel as though you could do a lot more than hang around in my house...'

"Well... Okazaki, I think I speak for Kyou too when I say that when we're with you and Tomoyo, it just feels warmer. I don't know how to explain it."

Tomoya raised an eyebrow. Was Tomoyo's ideal of family that true? He thought it was just her personal point of view, but to have both Kyou and Youhei affected by it was very surprising, to say the least. (1.)

* * *

Tomoyo and Kyou sat in that café for quite a while, just thinking about all that had happened. Kyou regretted not talking with Tomoya or Sunohara that often, she mainly hung out with her other friends and watched Ryou's fortune telling. She just didn't like Tomoyo back then, for some reason, and since Tomoyo was with the two of them all the time, she didn't want to have anything to do with someone she didn't like, even if that someone was pushing her further and further apart from the boy she liked.

But Kyou realized that, perhaps, it was a blessing that Tomoyo became Tomoya's lover instead of Kyou. Even though Tomoya seemed free, Tomoya was currently on break from work... A strike was going on and because of that the crazed union made it difficult for people like Okazaki, who could really care less about special privileges as long as he got paid well, to go back to work. Tomoya was quite willing to work, to support himself and, perhaps, Tomoyo as well. He wasn't a complete idiot anymore... Tomoyo inspired Tomoya to change, something Kyou could never do.

But what Tomoyo said about Sunohara was interesting. Could Kyou really convince that idiot to improve?

Then again, Sunohara did make himself less useless... He got himself a higher paying job than Tomoya. Heck, he actually pulled through and became a clerk for a law firm! True, all he really did was organize papers, fill out paperwork, take a few calls, and such, like a secretary, the fact was that he actually got himself a job that could pass as "meaning something."

Kyou stroked her chin as she thought about it. Would she really be able to inspire Youhei like how Tomoyo inspired Tomoya? It seemed like a lost cause, but, then again, many of the people whom Tomoyo used to work with also thought that Tomoya was a lost cause, and both Tomoya and Tomoyo proved them wrong.

Eventually it was getting tiresome to stay there, so both girls paid their bill and left.

They walked side by side in those dark streets, both thinking about the important people in their lives, when, suddenly, men began to appear from in front and behind them.

These men weren't ordinary guys. Armed with metal pipes and knives, with mohawks, tattoos, and scars all over, they were your typical gangbangers.

Except that there were about twenty of them, and the girls could hear more footsteps in the distance.

"Recognize these idiots, Tomoyo?" Kyou asked as she raised her fists.

"Most of them... I thought I taught them a lesson. Guess they'll need some reeducation."

"And punching people can be a good stress reliever. Let's go!" Kyou ran towards the enemies in front of them, while Tomoyo went to take care of those behind them.

Kyou quickly threw whatever she had in her hand at the advancing gang bangers. But she didn't check to make sure she knew what she was throwing.

"My cell phone!" She screeched as it flew, smacked an enemy on his forehead, and shattered.

"Kyaah!" Kyou leapt forward with a flying side kick, taking another enemy down. With several kicks and punches, she tried to fight six men at once.

Meanwhile, Tomoyo also used a flying side kick. With "Coliet" as her battle cry, she brought down about ten of those suckers before their reinforcements started to arrive. (2.)

"Tomoyo! I think we're going to be here for a while!" Kyou yelled as she gave another thug a taste of her foot.

"Then we'll teach these fools for as long as it takes!" Tomoyo yelled back, spinning in the air and giving her foes a couple of roundhouse kicks to the neck.

But the battle dragged on. Kyou wasn't exactly a warrior, and after a while she began to get tired. Kyou continued to fight, her strength not failing her, but she began to slow down in her attacks, and a quick punch to the chest sent her flying. Kyou's back rammed against a brick wall, and she gasped. She hadn't felt such intense pain before, and as the thugs walked towards her she could barely get up.

"You're all going to die for this..." Kyou panted, gritting her teeth in rage. With a roar, she plunged into the fray, giving all of them the hardest punches and kicks she could give. Kyou Fujibayashi wasn't one to lose to idiots like them!

Tomoyo and Kyou were surrounded, with dozens of armed thugs closing in on them every ten minutes, but they fought on. These thugs came to have their revenge against the mighty Tomoyo, and Kyou was honestly shocked to know that so many people were out to get her friend. To think that there was a time when Tomoyo had to deal with freaks like these... It was unbelievable, and now she was a part of it!

_But they kept on coming, and Kyou could barely handle her crowd..._

* * *

A few hours passed, and neither Kyou nor Tomoyo returned to the Okazaki residence. Sunohara and Tomoya were sitting on Tomoya's couch, but neither were relaxed. "Why have they been gone for so long? And why haven't they called?" Sunohara blurted out.

"No idea..." Tomoya sighed.

"I'll get a hold of them." Sunohara quickly got his cell and called Kyou.

* * *

A blow to the face sent Kyou crumbling to the ground.

The crack of the blow echoed for quite a distance, and Tomoyo gasped. "Kyou!" She yelled for her friend, but got no answer.

"Sounds like your friend's beat. If you don't give up now, who knows what we'll do to her?" One of the thugs laughed.

"You either have no originality, or you're idiots. What makes you think I'll let you do anything to Kyou? Bring it on!" Tomoyo yelled and leapt forward for another kick.

* * *

A grey Corolla rumbled along the streets. "It's not right... Kyou always answers her phone... Something must be happening, and we can't let her get hurt." Sunohara muttered to himself as he slammed his foot against the pedal.

"Do you want a ticket?" Tomoya gasped as the car began to fly forward.

"I want to make sure that Kyou's ok... Nothing else matters!"

Tomoya looked worried, but, somehow, he felt a sense of accomplishment when Sunohara said those words.

* * *

Tomoyo jumped about, trying to bring down more of them, but they kept on coming. From the corner of her eye, she could see Kyou's downed body, and she could see a few of those thugs gathered around her.

Tomoyo's eyes widened as a hand moved for Kyou's hip.

"Get off of Kyou, you bastards!" Another voice yelled.

Tomoyo took the opportunity to smack another foe down, but she wasn't prepared to see Youhei and Tomoya suddenly enter the fray.

"Damn you, all of you!" The idiot jumped around, giving out a dropkick here and a punch there. Sunohara first cleared out all of the thugs surrounding Kyou, and afterwards stood over her while giving any approaching foes a taste of his fist.

Tomoya might have had a wounded shoulder, but he, too, did what he could to hold off the advancing tide. Running beside Tomoyo, he tried to help her, but she pushed him back. "I tend to do better when surrounded, and I don't want to hit you if you were beside me." She explained as she charged into another group of thugs.

Tomoya gave a nod and gave a few other thugs a piece of his mind. With sweep kicks and low blows, he was able to take care of his own share of idiots.

* * *

"How could there be so many?" Tomoyo began to pant as more appeared.

"No matter what, we can't give up... Kyou needs..." Sunohara was cut off by a grumble.

"I can take care of myself, you know." Kyou sighed as she got up.

"Kyou!" Sunohara yelled excitedly, startling her. "Wha-?" She stammered.

"You're ok!"

"Well, yeah, but..."

"You were knocked down by that thug's blow." Tomoyo explained, heading over to the others as they gathered around Kyou.

Kyou stroked her chin... "Yeah, and it still stings, but let's not get distracted. These idiots need one final lesson, and there are four qualified teachers right here."

"Let's finish this..." Tomoya nodded with a sneer.

* * *

Four adults charged at the gang leader, and by the time they were finished with him, he was a bloody pulp on the sidewalk, still twitching in pain even though Tomoyo eventually tried to get the others to calm down. Calling the police, the four quickly got treated for their wounds.

Kyou found herself sitting on a hospital bed, with Ryou caring for her wounds.

Kyou shook her head. "How long was I out?"

Ryou shrugged her shoulders. "You should maybe ask Tomoyo, she's the one who saw you fall." Taking her hand from her sister's, Ryou left the room, as she had more patients to take care of.

"Maybe I should..." Kyou sighed, but soon she found Tomoyo entering her room.

"Tomoyo, shouldn't you get some rest?"

"Looks like my wounds were nothing much, but you... You know, you owe Sunohara one back there."

"What do you mean?"

"When they finally knocked you unconscious, some of them tried to rape you."

"What?!"

"But before they could, Youhei showed up with Tomoya and personally fought them off. He stood beside you, taking down anyone who got too close."

"Youhei... Would do something like that... For me?"

"Yes."

"But... But why? I thought we hated each other..."

Tomoyo smiled, and, instead of answering, just left the room.

Kyou put her hand on her breast. This was so strange! What the heck was going on? She felt a strange sense of guilt and excitement when she heard that Sunohara was standing over her the entire time she was downed... Kyou shook her head. It was impossible... She couldn't be... Sunohara Youhei is an idiot, and there was no absolutely possibility for her to have any interest in him whatsoever...

* * *

Sunohara and Tomoya shared a laugh. After all, victory is always sweet. "It's a good thing we were there, wasn't it? It looks like Kyou and Tomoyo alone were able to bring down most of them, but those idiots just kept on coming... Even though Tomoyo's strong, she does have her limits..." Tomoya smiled slightly, a worried look returning to his face.

"And Kyou too... I thought she'd definitely win against all those guys if she had Tomoyo with her... They're both the strongest women in the universe, and no man can take either of them in a one on one match... Not even guys like us... Heck, didn't Tomoyo face an army about two-fifths this one's size on her own? Why couldn't she take this group down with Kyou's help?"

"They might have learned their lesson by now... 'Sides, no matter how strong a general is, even he can have horrible days on the field of battle."

"True... But... To think that they could have done something to Kyou..."

"But you were there, weren't you?" Tomoya asked, keeping Sunohara from going insane.

"Yeah..." Sunohara smiled triumphantly. "I was there!"

* * *

The four of them finally got better, and decided to go their separate ways.

"I'll have to get myself a new phone, and maybe you're right, Tomoya, maybe I'll go on a little road trip." Kyou stroked her chin as the four stood together in front of the hospital.

"And I have to get back to work... Say, Tomoya, will you be able to go back to work? Is the strike over?" Sunohara asked with a sigh.

"To be honest, I didn't bother to check, since it seemed pretty intense, but I guess I should get going too..." Tomoya nodded.

"Well, guess I'll be the one job hunting for the time being. Take care, all of you." Tomoyo nodded and left.

Tomoya quickly ran after her, and Sunohara and Kyou just stood there, watching him run off.

"Youhei..."

"Hmn?"

"Thank you... You really saved me back there..." Kyou gave a small bow.

Sunohara laughed a bit and scratched the back of his head embarrassingly. "It was... It was nothing. I'm glad to know that you're ok."

"Youhei..."

"Hmn?"

"Work hard at the firm... Don't be an idiot like you were back then..."

Sunohara laughed again. "What... What do you mean? Of course I work hard back there... Otherwise I'll get fired..."

At that point Kyou got a little annoyed. "Don't just do the bare minimum and be proud of that! I mean, work really hard. Show the boss that you're actually a good worker, show him and everyone else that you're not an idiot... Because, well, even though you seem like an idiot most of the time, you and I both know that you aren't really useless."

"Kyou..."

"See you." Kyou waved her hand and left.

"Wait!" He called after her, but she continued to walk. Sighing, Sunohara decided that it would be weird of him to follow her, so he turned and walked off too.

* * *

Another month passed, and once again Youhei decided to hang around with his friends for the weekend. Summer was almost over, and because of that Kyou was getting ready for her students. He wouldn't be able to see her much.

Sunohara sighed. He remembered Kyou's words: _"Work really hard. Show the boss that you're actually a good worker, show him and everyone else that you're not an idiot..."_ And he began to follow that advice. After all, it might actually earn him some respect and a raise if he pulled everything off.

He drove along, until he saw someone walking down the sidewalk to his right... It was Kappei!

But what was Kappei doing here? There was a popular golf course nearby, and the nets on the side of the court, that were used to catch stray balls, were a bit damaged, but no one got hurt, so nobody cared. But even if that was the case, Kappei shouldn't be there and take that risk...

Sunohara felt like stopping his car, but just before he did, his prediction came true. A stray ball flew and got Kappei right on the side of the head, sending him crashing onto the street.

Sunohara turned on his warning light and stopped the car, getting out and rushing to Kappei's side. "You alright?" He shook him, trying to keep Kappei from blacking out.

"My head..." Kappei moaned, before finally losing consciousness.

"Damn..." Sunohara sighed as he got Kappei into the back seat. "I'd better get him to the hospital pronto..." He thought as he slammed the gas pedal and flew forward.

* * *

"Kappei..." Ryou moaned as the doctors cared for him. She was so worried about her lover, but she was also so grateful that Youhei brought him here safetly.

Ryou called Kyou almost immediately, and with a new phone Kyou was able to contact Tomoya and -yo. Once again, the four friends sat tensely in the waiting room.

"To think Youhei would actually be able to notice Kappei was in danger..." Kyou chuckled to herself. Youhei used to run away from problems, like he did with Mei. At least, that's what Tomoya told her, but to have him personally get Kappei to safety so calmly and quickly, without needing anyone else to worry, was surprising, for she thought that idiot would screw anything up one way or another.

Tomoyo and Tomoya continued to stare down the hospital hallway, waiting for the results to return.

And soon Ryou ran back over to them. "He'll be fine! Thank you so much, Youhei!" She jumped up and down.

Sunohara Youhei and Okazaki Tomoya were stunned. They never thought they'd see Ryou so excited, but Youhei felt so much better that he was able to help them out.

Of course, he hardly noticed Kyou watching him. For some reason, she felt proud of him, even if it was such a simple thing...

* * *

When Sunohara returned to work, his boss awarded him with a promotion. Finally, he proved to the world that he wasn't so pathetic after all, even he could get a more decent position in his workplace!

At the same time, though, his boss told him that the company had been purchased by a larger firm, and that there were branches back in the city where his friends lived. With a bright smile on his face, Sunohara quickly called Okazaki, telling him that he'd be rooming with him soon, for now he would be working not far from where Tomoya lived.

* * *

Soon, winter came, and it was winter break. Sunohara finally got an apartment of his own in the city, and the four friends decided to hang out at Kyou's.

All three of them were surprised when Youhei told them about his promotion. It really didn't seem right that Youhei, the one pathetic member of their little group, could possibly have pulled something like that off, but he did, and they were all proud of him...

Kyou, especially, felt so happy at the news. (3.) Youhei wasn't an idiot slacker anymore. Now, people actually respected him for once, and his boss found him useful enough to promote him. That truly meant something.

Sunohara also helped Tomoyo get a job at the same firm, allowing her to help Tomoya improve his life with her additional income. Together, the couple made enough money to finally make their ultimate decision...

And, there, gathered together at Kyou's, Tomoyo and Tomoya announced their decision to their two friends.

"We're getting married." Tomoyo began.

"What?!" Kyou gasped while Sunohara nearly fell over.

"You two deserve to be the first to know." Tomoya added.

"Isn't this sudden, Okazaki?" Sunohara asked, twitching a little. "We're not even twenty-five and you think that you two can get married already?"

"Well, Tomoyo and I have thought it over, and..."

"There are a lot of responsibilities involved in marriage, and if you screw anything up..." Kyou stammered, trying to make her point as fast as she could.

"We'll be fine if you two are here to help us, right?" Tomoyo smiled, forcing Kyou and Sunohara to shut up.

"Well, I'm flattered that you think of us like that..." Kyou mumbled.

"Me too..." Sunohara nodded.

"But, still..." Kyou spoke up again, but decided to shut it when she saw the two of them glaring at her.

"Congrats..." She smiled.

"Yeah, best of luck, to both you guys." Sunohara nodded.

"Oh, look at the time." Tomoya glanced at his watch. "We'd better head out, right Tomoyo?"

"Yeah... We'll see both of you later." Tomoyo smiled as she and Tomoya headed out.

"Yeah, er..." Kyou waved, quite stunned from what just happened.

"To think they'd make this decision all of a sudden..."

"It's just not like them..."

* * *

Tomoya and Tomoyo returned to Tomoyo's car. "So was this the final step of your plan?" Tomoya joked.

"Well, actually, Sunohara's the one who carried everything out. The way he took care of Kyou during the fight, the way he cared for Kappei when he got hurt, and the fact that he got a promotion will all have great effects on Kyou. Now, by mentioning our marriage to them, we'll, well, force the two of them to start thinking about it."

"If we really do pull this off..."

"Then we'll be geniuses, right?" Tomoyo smiled and gave him a kiss.

* * *

"Seriously... What are they thinking?" Sunohara shook his head.

"Youhei..." Kyou suddenly spoke.

"Yeah?"

"Congratulations on your promotion." She smiled.

"Thanks, Kyou." He smiled back.

"You finally made something out of yourself. You finally showed everyone that you're much more capable than what meets the eye."

"Well, thanks..." He blushed slightly. Why was Kyou being so nice?

"Youhei..."

"Yeah?"

"You know, you've always been such an idiot, but, seeing you improve so greatly, I can't help but admire the fact that you've finally become a man."

"Kyou?"

"Youhei..."

Sunohara quickly began to blush. "Kyou... I never told you before, but... Well, I've always really liked you..." He felt like such an idiot, blurting out like this.

"You know what?" Kyou smiled at him. "I really like you too."

"Wha-?" Sunohara blinked, but Kyou quickly tackle-hugged him.

"Thank you..." Kyou mumbled. "For putting up with a girl like me, for protecting me during that fight... For, for truly listening to me and actually making yourself something more because of what I said to you... Unlike that jerk Tomoya, you actually care about me..."

"Kyou..." Sunohara blushed a deep shade of red. He knew from the start that Kyou liked Tomoya, that she still felt that deep sense of sorrow, and maybe even hate, towards him because he constantly ignored her even though anyone with half a brain could tell that Kyou liked him. But to have her suddenly say something like this, well, Sunohara seriously thought that he was dreaming.

But when Kyou looked him in the eye, and when he felt her breath on his cheeks, he realized, for a moment, that his dream had finally become a reality.

Drawing her closer to him, he made sure that their lips met. Finally, Youhei Sunohara got himself a girl, and he was never going to let her get away. (3.)

* * *

1. Before I add anything, Tomoyo is my favorite girl, followed closely by Kyou. But, the one thing I regret about either the Tomoyo or Kyou routes is that the epic anthem of Clannad: the Dango Daikazoku, is incompatible with either route, for if Tomoya cares enough about Nagisa for that song to play, the door is locked upon the Tomoyo and Kyou routes, just like the anime... Sigh... It would be perfect to play that song during this 'realization' of sorts by Tomoya.

2. I originally wanted a Tomoyo VS Kyou catfight, but then I realized that there already was one in the Tomoyo route in the Visual Novel. That, and because of Chapter Three I ended up making Tomoyo and Kyou friends, making it even harder for Tomoyo to even think of fighting Kyou, even if it was self-defense.

So, instead, I figured I'd do a Tomoyo/Kyou VS Gang banger battle, with other people showing up and a certain someone proving that he's not completely useless. :)

And if you squint, you'll find a Tomoyo Fighter reference. Yes, I am a rabid CLANNAD fan.

3. Keep in mind that I've been single, so if this sounds corny as heck, forgive me. :) 'Sides, it's kinda meant to be corny, as this is Sunohara Youhei we're talking about. Wouldn't the mood around him be awkward when he finally gets a girl?


	7. These Are Wonderful Days

Warning: Drunk Humor later, and some language later.

These Are Wonderful Days

(Dear Reader, I'd like you to imagine that the song: "The Day's Leisure," or in Japanese: "_Hibi no Itoma_" is playing in the background. If you've haven't heard it, search for it on youtube.)

Spring finally came, and the sakuras were in full bloom.

Tomoyo and her younger brother Takafumi walked side by side, admiring the sakuras on the side of the path. This path meant so much to Sakagami. She fought so hard to protect these trees as Student Council President, and she had won that battle.

It was a family tradition for the siblings to walk side by side under these trees, to remind them of the beauty that life held. But Tomoyo wanted to show her younger brother a different kind of beauty. Tomoyo told Takafumi that he'd be meeting a few new people today.

As they walked down that path, they finally saw Tomoya, Youhei, Kyou, Ryou, Kappei, and Mei standing there, also looking at those trees.

"Tomoyo!" Tomoya called out to her, and the rest of their friends quickly walked over to them.

"Tomoya." Tomoyo smiled and hugged him.

"Long time no see, Takafumi." Tomoya smiled at his future brother-in-law.

"Right, brother." Takafumi smiled.

Kyou looked at Takafumi and smiled. "So this is your little brother?" She turned to Tomoyo.

Tomoyo gave her a nod, and Takafumi spoke up. "Pleased to meet you, I'm Takafumi."

Kyou nodded. "And you can call me Kyou."

At this point Tomoyo objected. "You're my sister, Kyou. That seems just too informal. Little brother, consider Kyou as another older sister, as she's sis's close friend."

"Ah... Big sister..." Takafumi nodded.

"Don't forget about me!" Sunohara laughed.

Kyou giggled a little, and Takafumi nodded. "Hello..."

"The name's Sunohara Youhei, don't you forget it!"

"Everyone forgets about you." Tomoya joked.

"Hey!" Kyou and Youhei growled back at him, forcing him to flinch.

"Mei!" Tomoyo spoke aloud, finally recognizing her. "It's been such a long time."

"Ah, Tomoyo! Yeah, it has. Have you been well?"

"Of course." Tomoyo smiled at Tomoya.

Takafumi made the first move. "I'm Sakagami Takafumi, Tomoyo's younger brother."

"And I'm Sunohara Mei, Youhei's younger sister."

Ryou stepped forward, and Takafumi smiled at her. "I'm Fujibayashi Ryou, Kyou's sister. It's good to finally meet you, Takafumi." Ryou beamed.

"And I'm Hiiragi Kappei, Ryou's fiancée. Tomoyo's told us a lot of things about you."

"What kinds of things has my sister said?"

"Well, let's just say that those things have proven themselves true." Kappei smirked.

Sunohara smirked at Tomoyo. "Guess this is one big family reunion, isn't it? We're all practically siblings here."

Kyou nodded. "We've been through so much together..."

"You sound like a bunch of old people..." Kappei muttered.

"Yeah, we'll be spending a lot more time together, right, sis?" Takafumi looked up at Tomoyo.

Tomoyo smiled. "Yeah, but we can't help but remember..."

Tomoyo, Tomoya, Kyou, and Youhei stared out into the distance. The four of them had gone through quite a bit since High School, but now they had each other, now they were united, and life could only get more exciting from here.

"Instead of moping around, why don't we get a bite to eat? I'm starved." Kappei groaned.

Laughing, the eight went on their way.

* * *

Komura was getting old. Ever since his retirement, he had so much time to do whatever he wanted, but, even so, life got fairly boring... His wife passed away years ago, and without her he lived his life alone at home.

So it was interesting when he went to the mailbox one day and found a small envelope:

_You are cordially invited to the wedding of:_

_Kyou Fujibayashi_

_and_

_Youhei Sunohara_

For about ten minutes Komura stared at the invitation. It wasn't because he had bad eyesight, no, but because he could hardly believe what he was reading.

* * *

When Kyou told her girl friends whom she was going to marry, none of them believed her.

"Sunohara Youhei? _The _idiot of our high school?!" One of them gasped, shaking a little as she thought of him.

"Yeah? And?" Kyou crossed her arms.

"Well... It was already amazing for Okazaki Tomoya to marry our old student council president, so I guess Sunohara gets the class rep, eh?" One of them laughed.

Kyou's eyes narrowed. "I can't believe I spent all that time with idiots." She shook her head and walked off.

* * *

"Tomoya, since you're our best man, I have to tell you something..." Kyou cornered Tomoya in her living room.

"Wh... What, Kyou?"

Kyou sneered. "If anything goes wrong, no matter how minor, I am going to rip off your balls, even if Tomoyo will kill me later..."

"I... Um... I..."

Kyou closed her eyes and smiled. "So make this experience the best, ok? For both Youhei and me."

"Right..." He shivered as she walked away.

Once she was safely out of sight, Tomoya remembered an old conversation:

"_You know what I want to be when I grow up?" Kyou asked Tomoya._

"_If you say 'beautiful bride,' I'm going to laugh at you!" Tomoya smirked._

"_Idiot! I was going to say 'kindergarten teacher." Kyou growled._

"Seriously..." Tomoya muttered. "Even though she loves him, I feel really, really sorry for Sunohara..."

* * *

"Tomoyo... I hope that you can help us as the main bridesmaid. Even if Ryou's the Maid of Honor, I trust you more than her..."

Tomoyo blinked. She spent all of high school trying to be more feminine, and to have Kyou put so much faith in her... It was so shocking...

"I... I am honored. I'll do whatever I can to help."

"Glad to hear... I guess that would be payback between us, wouldn't it?" Kyou smiled. Tomoyo looked back at her ring, and the memories came flooding back.

_In a dressing room, Tomoyo was standing in front of a mirror, while Kyou stood behind her helping her fix up her clothes and all that. Sakagami was wearing a stunning white wedding dress... It was her wedding day, and soon she and Tomoya would be one._

"_Tomoya's jaw is going to hit the ground once he sees you, just you watch, Tomoyo." Kyou beamed as she fixed Tomoyo's hair._

"_Kyou... Who would have thought we'd end up like this?"_

"_Hmn?"_

"_You used to detest Sunohara, and yet you're his lover. You also used to hate me..."_

"_Tomoyo, stop dwelling on the past. If someone were to tell me a year ago that I'd eventually fall in love with Youhei and the two of us would be there for each other no matter what, I'd laugh in that person's face, but times have changed so quickly for the better. Stop being so nostalgic. Now's the time to think of your future with Tomoya."_

"_And I guess it's time for you to think of yours with Youhei, right?" Tomoyo smiled._

_Kyou turned bright red... "Tomoyo..." She grumbled a little. "You really know how to make people embarrassed, don't you?"_

"_Hah, hah, maybe I do." The two friends shared a laugh._

* * *

Sunohara gave Tomoya a huge slip of paper.

"And what would this be?"

"For all the times you made me do things, well, here, this is what I'd like you to do for me for my wedding."

"Youhei, you're not some greedy bastard, are you? What's with this long list?"

Sunohara smirked. "If you're my best man, then you should listen to my requests."

Tomoya shook his head. "I'd expect this much from someone like you. You're just planning to impress Kyou, aren't you?"

"And how would that be impressing her?" Youhei blinked innocently.

Tomoya sighed. "Fine. Fine, I'll do it..."

* * *

(WARNING: The next two scenes contain drunk humor scenes. The latter may have what can be considered somewhat sexual content, even though nothing happens. Just a warning.)

'Twas the night before the wedding, and everyone was drunk...

No, seriously, Youhei couldn't even recognize Kappei.

"What a beautiful girl! Okazaki, is this part of the extras you planned for the party?" Youhei laughed, his cheeks red from the beer.

Tomoya wobbled from side to side, but still had enough sense to recognize who Youhei was hugging. "Um... Hic... That's Kappei... Hic..."

"Kappei? What a beautiful name!" Youhei laughed, stroking Kappei's arm.

Kappei immediately fainted, and Youhei began to carry him off.

"Where are you going?" Yusuke asked, staggering along. "And why are there three of you?"

"So that I can share the love with Kappei here!"

"Oh, lord. Youhei, get back here! That's Ryou's husband! Youhei!" Tomoya wobbled and bounced off the walls as he chased Sunohara to the future groom's bedroom.

* * *

Ryou didn't drink, but she found it funny when Kyou and Tomoyo got drunk.

"Tomoyo... I love you..." Kyou moaned as she finished her eighteenth bottle.

"Really?" Tomoyo asked dreamily, still working on her fourteenth.

"I... I felt the same way about Youhei... What's going on...?" Kyou blushed.

"Kyou..." Tomoyo began to blush too.

Ryou began to look quite uncomfortable. "Um... Both of you..."

_They couldn't hear her._

"Tomoyo... I... I guess I can see why Tomoya fell in love with you."

"What?"

"You're so beautiful... Your body is so well-endowed compared to mine..." Kyou blushed.

"You don't look so bad yourself, Kyou..." Tomoyo smiled.

Kyou blushed a deeper shade of red. "Really? You think so?"

"You're so beautiful... It's no wonder why you'd get married so quickly..."

"But you got married first, to Tomoya..."

"Well, still, I guess Youhei can tell what beauty really is."

"Tomoyo..."

"Kyou..."

The two began to scoot next to each other, and as they embraced, with their lips only centimeters apart, Ryou ran in between them.

"NO!"

* * *

Kappei was the first to wake up. He wandered about Okazaki's home, and found Yoshiro Yusuke passed out on the ground, with a wine bottle in each hand.

Kappei wandered around some more, when he came across Tomoya sleeping with his body across Youhei's chest. Tomoya held a bottle in one hand, and Youhei was drooling. "Oh god..." Kappei paled.

At this, Tomoya slowly woke up... He saw Youhei's drooling mouth, and the look on Kappei's face, and gasped. "What the hell? This isn't what you think!" He stammered, trying to find something to say. "Wake up, Sunohara, dammit! Wake Up!"

* * *

"Sorry, Tomoyo... I don't know what came over me..." Kyou smirked as the bride and her chief bridesmaid shared an uneasy silence...

"We're sisters, think nothing of it... And it was a good thing that Ryou was there to stop it before it got too far..." Tomoyo smiled back, maintaining that uneasiness.

"Anyways... We should head to the site now... Ryou should be there already... I'll drive."

"Alright then." Kyou nodded, rushing forward to get her dress.

* * *

"Youhei, c'mon, you've got to get to Kyou, man... You don't want to be late to your own wedding, right?" Tomoya continued to coax him.

Youhei slowly got up... "I can't believe I almost... We almost..."

"No... Don't say a single word..." Tomoya glared at him.

Youhei kept his head hung low as he went to change.

* * *

Kyou waved at Tomoya as he approached her. "Everything's going according to the plan, right?" She smiled at him.

"Yeah, of course. Youhei's having his last few moments as a single man with the other two, while he sent me to check up on you."

"I'll be ready when I'm ready. I thought Ryou already spoke to you..."

"I haven't seen her at all..."

* * *

"Youhei-kun. Take care of my sister."

"Of course, Ryou."

"Kappei, dear, did Youhei do anything strange last night?"

"Um..." Kappei glanced at Yusuke, who shrugged, and then at Youhei, who glared intently at him. "He did nothing, nothing at all."

Ryou sighed. "That's good, because Kyou and Tomoyo..."

Youhei became excited. "What? What did those two do? Did they...?" A thousand perverted images flew in his mind.

Ryou covered her mouth. "I shouldn't have said anything, right...?"

Yusuke shrugged his shoulders. "Sunohara Youhei is a man who is so attracted to love that it scares everyone around him. The power of love can be so great. Isn't it amazing, Hiiragi Ryou?"

"More like frightening..." Ryou slowly backed away from her soon to be brother-in-law.

"Ryou... Ryou, tell me more! Ryou?" Sunohara called after Ryou as she quickly ran off.

* * *

"Tomoya-kun! I finally found you!" Ryou ran up to Kyou and Tomoya.

"Huh?" Tomoya turned, confused.

"I'll be heading back... Tomoyo and the others are helping me with the last of our preparations. Take care of your end of the bargain with Yusuke and Kappei, Tomoya." Kyou nodded and ran off.

"Even now, she's still like this around Ryou sometimes..." Tomoya sighed. (1.)

"Tomoya-kun. Youhei-kun is being strange. Please help make sure that he's normal at the wedding. And afterwards... I don't want him to do anything strange to my sister."

"Um... Ryou... I don't think you should worry... You might end up interpreting everything he does as worrisome pretty soon. Besides, Kyou can easily take care of herself."

"You're right." Ryou smiled. "I'll go help my sister now..." Ryou walked off.

"Right." Tomoya walked back towards Sunohara.

* * *

"Soon, because you love Kyou, and her powerful personality, you'll change your name to Fujibayashi, right, Youhei Sunohara?" Yusuke laughed.

"No... No... Heck, no... I'm still the dominant one in our relationship." Youhei put his fist against his chest.

"I'd trust those words if they came from Kyou's mouth, not yours." Tomoya laughed.

"Hey! I'm the groom of this wedding, right?"

"Yeah, but your wife will be the one who wears the pants in the family."

"Okazaki! Take that back!"

"Not until Kyou admits that you're the man of the house!"

"Okazaki!"

* * *

Youhei stood proudly on the right side of the altar. Tomoya, Kappei, Yusuke, they stood at the side, smiling as Ryou, Tomoyo, and a few of Kyou's old friends ascended the carpet to stand on the other side of the altar. With the bridesmaids, Maid of Honor, Groom, Best Man, and Groomsmen all in their respective positions, the wedding guests watched eagerly as Kyou slowly walked up the red carpet.

Kyou and her father walked side by side, but both had uneasy looks on their faces. Kaito Fujibayashi wanted the best for both his daughters. Ryou married Kappei, a hospital worker who was kind and somewhat easygoing. Since Ryou happened to be rather fretful and perhaps timid, he would be a good match for her.

But Kyou was a different story. Kaito was worried that his daughter would never get married, or that she'd kill her husband within the first week of their marriage. That, and he had heard plenty of disturbing things about Sunohara Youhei, this man who was about to marry Kyou.

But Kyou seemed stubborn and confident, as usual, about her choice. It was both a blessing and a curse that she had this will, but this time Kaito felt that this might be the ruin of her... To give his daughter to a man whom many judged as absolutely worthless was very unsettling indeed.

Tomoyo and Tomoya could see the look on Kaito's face, and, in the distance, so could Komura and Misae. All four knew exactly why Kaito felt this way, but Tomoya and Tomoyo also knew that Sunohara had changed, even if the other attendees at the wedding did not.

Even Kyou noted the look in her father's eyes, but she chose to walk forward, and she'd drag him if she had to.

Kaito glanced at his daughter as they trudged forward. She looked so determined, and though there were many times where she would demand that she get something, this resolve seemed different from all those before it. Kaito was both proud and worried for his daughter. She definitely wouldn't be forced to bow before a man, but at the same time, would her love for Youhei be her undoing?

Finally, Kyou made it on her side of the altar, and the minister began his lines. Kyou was fully prepared to hear objections the moment the minister would say: "Speak now, or forever hold your peace..." She grit her teeth, knowing that Youhei made himself a pretty horrible reputation. Even Kyou had to admit that back in high school, Sunohara Youhei was no better than a weed... Or a leech... Heck, even leeches had use in medicine, and weeds provided some nitrogen for the soil even if they took up space, but Sunohara Youhei was absolutely useless then.

_But that was then, not now._ Now Youhei had become a man, and a kind, loyal, and funny one at that. He was far from a weed now, but, still, it was so heartbreaking that no one but Kyou herself, Tomoya, and Tomoyo knew who Youhei was now.

Even Youhei's parents and Mei exchanged uneasy glances when they saw the look on Kaito's face. It looked like Youhei hadn't really been contacting his family much...

* * *

But even the cold stares from their parents could not break Kyou and Youhei's decision, and at the end of the day the Sunohara's Youhei and Kyou left the scene in Youhei's Corolla, leaving the Okazaki's to clean up in their wake.

"Still..." Misae sighed as she and Tomoya were leaning back on a few lawn chairs shortly after everything was settled. "It's amazing to see that Sunohara Youhei actually got himself married."

"Yeah..." Tomoya nodded dreamily.

As the two continued to relax, they heard some grunts below them.

"Gofu... Gofu..."

"Botan? Kyou left you back here...?" Tomoya was surprised to find Botan resting against the leg of his chair.

"Gofu..." The boar closed its eyes and continued to lie down, with a contented look on its face.

"Hmn... I guess Botan doesn't mind staying behind." Tomoya thought as he continued to stare at the boar.

Tomoyo laughed as she walked over to them. "I think it's because he likes you."

Tomoya stared down at Botan. "I'd hope so... If he starts squealing we might see Youhei's Corolla heading back with Kyou ready to strangle me..."

Tomoyo crouched lower and patted Botan, who cooed. "So he wasn't really sleeping, but listening to us?" Tomoyo seemed confused.

"I wouldn't put it past him. That boar's a clever one, Tomoyo. He did quite a few amazing things in front of me before we got together..." Tomoya stroked his chin.

"Really? Like what?" Tomoyo looked at Botan, who stared back at her.

"Well..." Tomoya winced a little as he remembered those times with Kyou.

"_Botan, rugby ball!"_

"_Wait, Kyou, I..."_

_BAM!_

"... He has seven skills that Kyou forced him to learn. Botan, stuffed doll!" Tomoya yelled.

"Gofu..." Botan's eyes narrowed.

"Oh, I guess he only listens to Kyou." Tomoya scratched his head.

"Either that or he's too big for a doll, right Botan?" Tomoyo continued to stroke Botan's back, and the boar closed its eyes happily and let out a "gofu" as a response.

"I guess he likes you too. Like master like pet, eh Botan?" Tomoya smiled as Botan walked forward and started rubbing itself against Tomoyo's hip.

* * *

The next day, Tomoya and Sunohara found themselves sitting on Sunohara's couch. The scene seemed so familiar.

"I think I should be flattered. It's the day after your wedding, and instead of spending it with your wife, you're relaxing here with me on this fine Sunday afternoon..." Tomoya laughed, slouching on the couch and letting his whole back rest against its soft goodness.

"Look who's talking! Your wife is off with mine somewhere too." Sunohara growled.

"Touché..." Tomoya yawned as he leaned back even further, letting his hair press against the sofa's mattress.

Sunohara suddenly sighed, as though he was admiring some old victory. "To think that Kyou and Tomoyo would become such good friends, and that we'd get married to both. Wow. Okazaki, are you sure we aren't in heaven already?"

"You repeat yourself all the time, don't you, Sunohara?"

"I just feel so amazed, even now..."

"You're always so amazed at this... Kyou would find you pathetic."

"She loves me more than that!"

"She loves you, that's why she'd find it pathetic, and she'd get mad. You don't want your wife to get mad, do you? You know what happens, right?"

Sunohara began to panic. "It can't be... Could she be hearing us right now?"

Tomoya stared at Sunohara for a good thirty seconds. "I wonder how the two of you will stay as a couple..."

* * *

Tomoyo, Kyou, and Botan were taking a walk in a park not far from Kyou's place.

"So... Did Tomoya tell you about his father?" Kyou asked.

"Why this all of a sudden?"

"Well... Let's just say that I know quite a few things about him..."

"You couldn't have been stalking him, could you?"

"Don't call it that! I was just.. Gathering information..."

"You liked him so much, didn't you, Kyou?"

"Let's not get off topic, here."

"Well, yeah, Tomoya did tell me a little about him, but I don't think he ever made up with his father... Now he's staying at my place, you know?"

"Huh... So even in the end, he can't reconcile with his own father... You don't see Youhei get worked up over the jerks who rejected him on the soccer team. Tomoya can't even thank the man who raised him for so long, even if there was heavy turbulence. He's his father, for god's sake! Tomoya's father seems a bit distant, but I'm sure he'd do anything for his son... After all, how could Tomoya have lived without his father? Even with you around, he would have needed to get the money from somewhere..."

"You're right, something has to be done... But how would I...?"

Kyou smiled. "If there's anyone Tomoya will listen to, it's you, Tomoyo. He won't give a care what Youhei and I think about his father, because though he thinks of us as siblings, it's one of the most difficult things he has to overcome in his life, and he doesn't trust our opinions enough about it... But you're a different story. He loves you, and he'll be willing to hear you out. You told me that I'd change Youhei for the better, and I guess I did, and you changed Tomoya for the better in many ways too... But this is when he needs you most, and you'd better be there for him."

"You know, Kyou, I wonder how Tomoya would live without friends like you or Youhei."

Kyou laughed. "Tomoyo, sometimes I wonder about the very same thing..."

"Gofu?" Botan looked up at the two of them.

"Botan... Say, Kyou."

"Hmn?"

"Has it been hard trying to raise Botan?"

Kyou looked confused at the question. "Not really... He's grown bigger now, and you see those tusks there, right? I think he's gotten more confident. When people joke about eating him, he's not so easily fazed, right Botan?"

"Gofu gofu..." Botan closed its eyes and tilted its head to the side.

"He's still charming after all these years..." Tomoyo thought aloud as she stared down at the boar.

"Hey! Now you're making both of us sound old!" Kyou pouted.

* * *

Sunohara stared dreamily ahead as he thought of Kyou the day before... _His_ Kyou... (2.)

"Hey, Okazaki, thanks."

"Wha-?"

"And thank Tomoyo for me. If it weren't for either of you, Kyou-chan and I wouldn't be together..."

"It's probably better if you thank yourself."

"Huh?"

"Kyou used to hate you a bit, you know? You were being an idiot, and she couldn't stand idiots. Heck, I remember her calling you a weed back then."

"Hey! Don't remind me of those days!"

"But look at the two of you now, husband and wife. Think about it, why would she listen to Tomoyo and I when we claimed that she should give you a chance when she still thought that you were such an idiot?"

"Well, she'd..."

"Exactly, she wouldn't listen to us and would have brushed the idea aside as though it were a joke. The fact is, you're the one who changed her opinion about you."

For a moment, Sunohara froze. "I... Made her like me...?" He pointed at himself cluelessly.

Tomoya just smiled.

Youhei stared at Tomoya for a few more moments. "I'm that awesome?"

"Sure..." Tomoya sighed, and drifted off to sleep.

"Okazaki? You're sleeping on me? Hmn..." Sunohara stroked his chin. Now was time for payback!

* * *

The sun drooped low, touching the horizon when Tomoyo and Kyou came back to the Sunohara house. The moment they entered, Kyou screamed when she found Tomoya wearing one of her skirts, sleeping on a few of her panties as a cushion.

Tomoya snapped awake, and the moment he realized what was happening, he stammered. "Kyou! It's not what you think! I..."

"PERVERT!" Kyou hurled her purse at Tomoya, slamming him in the face and knocking him out cold.

Tomoyo could only stand there, thinking for a few moments. She married Tomoya, and knew who he was. Tomoya would never do such a thing, even if he were drunk, so it had to be Youhei's doing. Since Youhei had been bullied by Tomoya before, well, Tomoyo felt that her husband probably deserved this, and decided not to help as Kyou stomped on him repeatedly with her high heel, letting the sharp heel stab into plenty of places on his body.

"Tomoyo! Can you believe it?! Your husband would go this far!"

"Well... What can I say? Men will be men. They will stay idiots."

"Even Youhei wouldn't do something like this..." Kyou snarled.

"I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult..." Kyou heard her husband call as Youhei came over.

"Did you know that he was doing something like this?!" Kyou growled.

"No... Not at all..." Youhei slowly backed away.

Kyou slammed her foot into Tomoya's face one more time, and hissed. She walked over, grabbed Youhei, and dragged him out of the house. "I need some time to cool down with Youhei. Tomoyo, could you take care of things for me? And make sure that damn Tomoya doesn't do anything else that's weird!"

"Sure..." Tomoyo shook her head. Kyou really did need some sort of therapy for that temper of hers.

* * *

1. I guess I've merged several routes together, lol.

2. Yes, it's meant to be corny. After all, it's Sunohara we're talking about. :)

The title of this chapter was based on the Japanese Kyou After fanmovie (intended to be a game), whose English title was "It's a Wonderful Days."


	8. Tarot Woes

Finals, friends, are not friendly for fiction writers. Especially for fanfiction. Thus, the latest update could only be released now... Since I have plans for the summer, well, updates won't come that frequently either.

Tarot Woes

Well, I thought Kyou had seen through the trick I pulled on Okazaki, but I guess she was too mad to think straight.

But anyway, we spent that evening and the whole next day together as a couple. Of course, without any of Kyou's bothersome friends or former friends, and without anyone else who could possibly bother us. It was just me and her, and I felt so lucky... If only I could take a picture, and send it back to the past, back to when I was a high-schooler... If only I could say to myself: "Hey, there, bud, check this out: You'll marry Fujibayashi Kyou! Hang in there and don't do too many stupid things, and you might even win her earlier than me." Too bad I can't, though... I had to remain feeling hopeless that I would never get a girl...

But, anyway, after Kyou and I hung out for a while, we (er, it was more like "she") decided to pay Ryou a visit at her hospital. Since Ryou happened to be done with patients, as today happened to be a good day for health, Ryou had time to give us a fortune reading.

So, pulling out her tarot cards, she had us go through a hexagram, predicting the path of our marriage. Of course, I wasn't very thrilled about this, but Kyou really wanted to know, as she saw and heard so many people speaking against our becoming and staying a couple.

Ryou, as Kyou's sister, was also very curious about this, so she was more than willing to give us this reading.

"Please cut the deck." Ryou asked Kyou as she placed the cards on the table.

"Right." Kyou replied as she quickly and neatly split them in two.

"Ok, so this will be a horse-shoe, or hexagram-spread fortune telling." Ryou emphasized on the hexagram. I honestly didn't know what the difference between the spreads were, but Kyou and I nodded anyway.

"Each of the cards of this reading will represent, in order: past, present, future, solution, state of mind, and true feelings. With them, can gain a result, and in accordance with that result you can make a decision as to what to do next."

"Right." I nodded, as did Kyou.

"So I'll set them up." And Ryou did so, placing each of the cards into that hexagram formation.

So Kyou and I stared at the cards, absolutely clueless as to how they meant. I took a glance at my wife and she smiled back at me, but we were both tense, wondering what the cards would say.

Ryou took a breath as she flipped each one of the cards.

"The first card, the one representing the past..."

Kyou and I stared at her.

"The reverse of The Fool... It means bad choices, ill planning..."

Kyou and I looked at each other. This was probably the worst card for us to get... Did that mean that we were incompatible after all?

"The second card, representing the present... The reverse of The Emperor..."

I could hear my wife gulp.

"It means immaturity, gullibility, a lack of character..."

Kyou and I shared a confused look.

"The third card, representing the future... The reverse of The Lovers..."

Kyou gasped, and I winced.

"It means frustration, quarreling, separation..."

"The fourth card, representing the solution to the problem... The reverse of the Hierophant...

"It represents assistance, support..."

Kyou grabbed tightly on my arm, and cuddled closer to me.

"The fifth card, representing the state of being around you... The reverse of Justice...

"It means bias, false accusations, injustice..."

At that Kyou seemed to agree, and I also felt that this reading was probably more accurate than we'd give it credit for.

"The sixth card, representing the state of your unconsciousness, your desires... The reverse of The Sun...

"It means uneasiness, uncertainty about the future, the loss of something valuable..."

Kyou and I stared at each other.

"The last card, representing the result... The reverse of The Devil...

"It means the possibility of an understanding, removing of burdens, release..."

Kyou gave out a light sigh, and I could feel a weight lifting from my chest, but even then Kyou hadn't let go of my arm.

"These are the cards that will lead to your fortune." (1.)

Kyou and I nodded.

"You can talk to each other and try to get over your uncertainties, and figure out what it is that you feel you've lost from your marriage. It would be wise for you to stand strong before those outside biases and injustices and not let them make you insecure or uncertain; stay strong and confident. Remember that you are not alone, and that you will find support. In the end, if you stand steadfast, then instead of splitting paths both of you will continue on with your burdens thrown aside, able to move forward in confidence and happiness..." Ryou spoke with a confident voice, though we both could see the worry in her eyes.

Kyou tightened her grip on my arm.

"Th... Thanks, Ryou." I blabbered out, worried as hell about what would happen next. The last thing I wanted to do was leave Kyou. Even if she was scary and vengeful, in the end I loved her, and I wanted to stay with her for the rest of my days.

Kyou nodded as though she were in a daze. "Thanks, sis, for the reading."

"I know you two will pull through." Ryou smiled as we got up to leave the hospital.

* * *

Kyou and Youhei entered the car, and were surprised to find Botan snuggled on one of the seats. (2.)

"Botan? How did you get here?" Kyou was surprised.

"Gofu..." Botan grunted as it closed its eyes.

Youhei's eyes darted around, looking for a black sedan, but he couldn't see Tomoyo's car anywhere. "It had to be them... They're the only ones with the third key to the house..." Youhei thought as he continued to look around.

From a distance, Tomoyo and Tomoya watched them. "They keep Botan cooped up in his pen for so long, it's a good idea for the three of them to spend more time as a family instead of Botan being alone." Tomoyo sighed as she watched Youhei and Kyou cluelessly look around for them.

Then, for a moment, Tomoya noticed something wrong with the pair. When they gave up looking for the Okazaki's, the Sunohara's simply locked up their car and, with Botan, walked off somewhere else.

"That's weird... It's rare to see Kyou or Youhei so troubled..." Tomoya muttered. The pair decided to track their friends, even if that meant that being found out would result in great pain for Tomoya and a fight with Kyou for Tomoyo.

* * *

Tomoya and Tomoyo hid behind a few bushes as they heard Kyou and Youhei talking to each other.

"I... I think we should have some alone time and think about it..."

"Hey! Do you want Ryou's prediction to prematurely come true?!"

"I... I never said I want to leave you, Kyou... I love you, but, but I think that just staying here, with both of us stressed and worried, isn't going to help our marriage any more. I heard that people sometimes need time outside of being together as a couple in order to strengthen their bond. It helps them take breaths of fresh air and think about how they should live their lives with their lovers... I think that would work better than what's going on now."

"I..." Kyou seemed to freeze at that. "I guess you're right..."

A pained and worried look filled Kyou's face.

"It's as if he's asking for a divorce..." Tomoya and Tomoyo thought as they watched the couple.

"Kyou..." Sunohara started to feel guilty. "Um... Here, why don't we head back to the house together... I guess the weather's getting to our heads..." He scratched the back of his head, embarrassed at seeing his wife like this.

"Yeah..." Kyou looked so broken as she kept her head down.

"Something had to have happened with Ryou... Maybe an accurate tarot reading? It wouldn't make sense for them..." Tomoya whispered, but Tomoyo froze when she saw Youhei and Kyou freeze.

"... to be like this. Kyou's much stronger than that, and Youhei usually doesn't take anything seriously, even if his life depended on being serious..." Tomoya blabbered on to Tomoyo, as if he was discussing a sports game on TV with her. Tomoyo gasped when she saw the couple approach the bushes.

Tomoyo froze like a deer in headlights as Kyou crouched down and their eyes met. With Tomoyo unable to move out of fear, Youhei creeped around the bushes, and Tomoya continued to chat, unfazed. "I guess they really do believe in that superstitious nonsense, huh?"

"Tomoya is an idiot, isn't he, Youhei?" Kyou smiled while staring at Tomoyo.

Tomoyo had to agree, but she couldn't react or Tomoya would probably scream at the top of his lungs upon realizing that Kyou and Youhei had heard them.

"Wha-?" Tomoya felt surprised. Since when did Kyou go from gloomy to joking about Tomoya behind his back?... Well, he was here, just that she didn't know he was here.

Or did she?

Tomoya felt a tap on his shoulder. "And since when have I not cared about my wife's feelings?" Youhei smirked as Tomoya turned around.

"Gah!" Tomoya gasped, realizing that he'd been caught.

"If you're going to spy on someone, you should make sure that they can't hear you." Kyou sneered as Tomoya slowly turned and saw her.

"So you... Heard everything." Tomoya gulped while Tomoyo remained frozen and speechless.

"No, just that last bit about you figuring out that Ryou's tarot reading had something to do with our uneasiness, and that Youhei and I seemed out of character... Maybe you should apply for a job as a sports moderator or news anchor instead of an electrician. Your voice is loud enough." Kyou chuckled a little at her own joke, but quickly narrowed her eyes.

"And why is fortune-telling nonsense?" Kyou seemed annoyed as she crossed her arms.

"Because, um, well, Ryou never seemed to get it right..." Tomoya stopped smiling, though, when he saw both Kyou and Youhei's faces turn gloomy again...

"It seemed accurate this time, though, a little _too_ accurate..." Youhei mumbled.

"Bad choices... Ah... I think I know why..." Kyou mumbled.

"Hmn?" Youhei, Tomoya, and finally Tomoyo requested her to continue.

"Ryou's fortune telling said that we made bad decisions in the past. It wasn't the fact that we got married, Youhei, not at all... It was because your idiocy and my, well, past reputation made it seem so unlikely that we'd be lovers, and we chose to let only a few people know about our relationship until it was too late. If we told everyone at the beginning, they would have been surprised, but they would have had time to accept it... Our quick marriage caught everyone off guard. That, and, well, we're not exactly the most mature of people, are we?" Kyou stated, embarrassment painting her face red.

"So that's why we have external biases and immaturity... And why our outcome will be a 'release of burdens...' But why the 'loss of something valuable?'" Youhei stroked his chin.

"You need to ask?" Tomoya raised an eyebrow.

"Huh?" Kyou, Youhei, and Tomoyo stared at him.

"Both of you have loved your freedom, yet you were attracted by that warmth of family, which is why you stuck around with Tomoyo and me. Later, when both of you got married, you were more than satisfied with each other, but even then you felt that freedom get sapped away. Even on the wedding day itself, Youhei, you acted worried. Did you even consider why?" Tomoya asked, pointing at Youhei.

For a moment, recognition flashed in Youhei's face, but the words couldn't leave his lips.

"Exactly, you realized that you lost your freedom... You lost the right you had to be an idiot, because you didn't have to worry about anyone or anything, and Kyou could just live her life without having to worry about how she looked or acted much, since there wouldn't be anyone who'd really have the chance to notice. But now the two of you are together, and you have those duties to each other. Being independent and immature in the past, you guys just can't adjust to this new life so easily..."

"Tomoya..." Kyou mumbled. Youhei looked shocked.

"But you have each other, and even if that's not enough, well, we've always called each other siblings, right? Now's a tough time for you guys, since a lot of people are expecting things from you and giving you the raw end of the deal, but you have us to watch your backs." With that, Tomoya grabbed Tomoyo's hand, and she nodded vigorously.

"That's right, Kyou, Youhei. Words do nothing, if they aren't backed by actions. We've always called ourselves your siblings, and now's the time for us to be siblings." Tomoyo added.

"Tomoyo..." Youhei mumbled.

Kyou looked shocked too, and nodded. "Thank you, Tomoyo."

Smirking, she turned to Tomoya. "So, even though you can be a major pervert, you're still a useful friend when we need you, eh?"

"I'm innocent, I swear!" Tomoya growled back.

"Actually, Kyou..." Tomoyo began, and Youhei began to turn pale. "Youhei's the one who set it up..."

Kyou's eyes widened a little, then she turned to Tomoya, then Youhei, and stared at Youhei for a few seconds as her husband slowly backed away. But she suddenly smiled at him. "You had your moment of revenge, huh? Good for you!"

"Wha-?" Youhei and Tomoya blinked.

Kyou pointed at Tomoya while keeping her eyes on her husband. "That other idiot used to bully you all the time, right? Well, you finally get the last laugh... Though, did you really have to make it so scary? Seriously, using my panties and skirt just to get back at him? I guess it worked, though, even if I'm not _that_ happy about it..." Kyou stroked her chin.

"She sure does seem happy..." Tomoyo and Tomoya thought as they watched her.

"Kyou..." Youhei couldn't think of what to say.

* * *

But even though they had this chat, Youhei and Kyou agreed that maybe they should split for a little while and think about their marriage. After all, it was best for them to relieve stress somewhere else, or through some other way, since their marriage was the cause of this stress in the first place.

Tomoyo decided to head out with Kyou, while Tomoya decided to stay with Youhei. Naturally, Botan, having been with Kyou and Tomoyo before, decided to hang around with the other guys.

And so, two men and a boar went back to the Sunohara's place.

Youhei always had a messy room. Tomoya never visited Kyou's house (as her parents wouldn't have been pleased at seeing this delinquent boy visiting either of their daughters), but judging by how clean the place was, Kyou had to be pretty decent in hygiene herself. Considering the fact that she had to go to work just as often as Youhei, well, she was pretty efficient and had good endurance if she could pull this off.

So Youhei walked over to one of the couches and sat down, leaning with his back pressed against the mattress, making it bend and dent to support him. With a yawn, he smirked at Tomoya. "Check this out... Botan!" Sunohara called.

The boar, who wasn't so little anymore, came running, and Tomoya actually shot his feet off the ground and got into a cross-legged position on a chair, since Botan was charging and his tusks might easily rip half of Tomoya's leg off (if Botan happened to run towards them.)

Finally, Botan stopped in front of its second master. "Gofu?" He cocked his head to the side. (3.)

Youhei smirked. "Botan, Footrest!"

"Gofu!" Botan immediately stood still, perpendicular to Youhei's legs, and Sunohara waited for Botan to turn rigid and stiff. Once Botan looked frozen in place, Youhei put his feet on Botan's back, and leaned further into the couch. "Ah... Isn't this awesome?" Youhei smirked as he turned to Tomoya.

"I guess Botan obeys you too. Hmn, I thought he'd only listen to Kyou."

"I'm Kyou's husband, so I'm also his master. Of course he'll obey me too, right, Botan?"

"Gofu..."

"See, Botan agrees with me!"

Tomoya couldn't help but smile at the sight. It really did seem like Botan had accepted Youhei as part of the family, even though there was a time when Botan was freaked out when Sunohara picked him up...

* * *

Kyou and Tomoyo sat on a bench, staring out to sea. The seagulls flew high over their heads, and all around them surfers, kids with shovels for building sandcastles, bicyclists who wanted to feel some fresh sea breezes, and other beachgoers hurried about, each having a great time.

As for Kyou, well, she was too busy thinking to really enjoy the scenery around her. Tomoyo was beside her, but Mrs. Okazaki knew that she could do little to help her friend. It was Kyou's battle, and Tomoyo could only cheer her on.

* * *

That night, when Youhei took Tomoya back to his place, and Tomoyo and Kyou went their separate ways, the Okazaki's found themselves brooding in their house.

"If Youhei and Kyou can't figure this out on their own, then we'll need the advice of someone who can help." Tomoya mumbled to Tomoyo.

"Who are you thinking of?"

"Who else?"

"You really think Yoshiro will be helpful? I thought he'd be too busy taking care of Kouko and Fuko." (4.)

"He's one of the few people Youhei actually admires, that doesn't happen to be a woman, and because of that it would be a good idea to recruit him to help us out."

"But does Kyou even know who he is?"

"He was one of Youhei's best men, so she should know who he is... Or at least know his face..."

"Well, I doubt Kyou would be worried if we drag another guy into the picture, so... For them, let's do it."

* * *

So, that weekend Tomoya found himself approaching Yusuke and Kouko's home, with Tomoyo slowly following him. Before he could knock on the door, however, a face appeared from a second-floor window. "It's the Enemy!"

Tomoyo smirked as Fuko glared down at Tomoya, "Fuko! Call your brother-in-law! Can we have a word with him?"

"Fuko cannot let her family get invaded by the enemy! Back off, or you will face the power of Starfish Heat!"

Tomoya rolled his eyes and went to knock on the door. Fuko responded with a sneer. "It seems that Fuko must use her flying starfish tactic to defeat you..."

With a quick throw, Fuko sent a starfish heading straight for Tomoya's forehead. Having dealt with Kyou's dictionaries throughout high school, Tomoya ducked and the starfish flew harmlessly overhead. He proceeded to knock harder on the door.

And it opened, to reveal a half-asleep Yusuke. "Okazaki? What... What's wrong?"

"Did I disturb your sleep?"

Yusuke shook his head. "Don't worry about that, come in, both of you." Yusuke stepped aside to let Tomoya and Tomoyo through.

* * *

1. Mind you, I have never been to a tarot card reading in my life, nor do I plan to. These interpretations were taken from a tarot website, and based on the fact that some of them match Ryou's original reading for Tomoya in Kyou's route, I think that they're correct... If any of you readers happen to be interested in Tarot reading, please tell me if this sounded realistic.

And, no, Tomoya did not buy these cards or give them to Ryou (when Kyou bought them.) I might fuse the routes together every now and then, but this fic is still mostly Tomoyo route, with bits of the others merely complementing the story. Ryou's a sucker for fortune telling, and Kyou's always a nice sister. Who says that Kyou wouldn't buy a tarot deck as a gift for her sister's birthday or something?

2. "Car" stands for Youhei's Corolla. "Truck" stands for Kyou's pickup. Tomoyo's car will be labeled on its own, but this fic, as you can surely tell, is more focused on Youhei/Kyou than Tomoya/Tomoyo, since they already got their loving scenes in the Tomoyo route. Kyou's scooter might also make an appearance, since traffic can be quite a bitch.

3. After using "it" for the first few chapters to refer to Botan, it felt weird, so I'm going to use "he," instead, since Botan is a secondary character in his own right.

4. I'm trying to include every character who can be included in Tomoyo's route without screwing up the timeline. This, of course, includes Fuko. Kotomi and Nagisa might have to take a back seat, though. :(


	9. Self Help

Chapter 9: Self Help

_Yukine had just taught him the special charm, the one that would tell him if a girl liked him, and as Youhei ran down the hall for the third time, even when the charm told him to do it only once, his face found itself embracing a very unpleasant thing._

_A dictionary._

"_What the hell are you doing, loitering around the place? I've been watching you for about fifteen minutes now, and you've been running across campus, along the same route. I never thought your fat, lazy arse would actually be doing something productive, like exercising. Oh, I get it, you're running from a teacher, aren't you?" She laughed at him._

"_Damn you, Kyou! Don't bother me, since you're not worth my time."_

"_Oh, that's so rude! Come back here and say that to my face!"_

"_I, um, gotta go!" He ran off into the distance, and she shook her fist at him._

"_Sis... We should get going.." Ryou mumbled, seeing her sister getting so fired up again._

"_You're right, he isn't worth our time either." Kyou sighed as she and Ryou headed back home._ (1.)

Youhei smirked as he sat alone. "Maybe I should have figured it out then." He thought... But Kyou wasn't one to be honest with her feelings, so it probably wouldn't have worked then either.

But he heaved a sigh. This was probably the toughest part, trying to figure out how they were going to overcome the barrier that seemed to ensure that they'd be doomed to an unhappy life. How could he possibly fight such a dilemma off?

* * *

"So you want me to fortify and secure the love between the two of them, is that it?" Yusuke asked over a cup of tea.

"That's right." Tomoya nodded.

"If they truly love each other, then that love should survive even through such hardships. In fact, this period of great cruelty from the outside world towards their union is God's test to see if they truly deserve each other. If Kyou truly loves Youhei, and Youhei loves her, then together they should be strong enough to shrug aside these misgivings and put their faith in one another. If they let their immature selves crush them from the inside, and let these thrusts from the outside world stab them, then they weren't truly meant for each other after all, and a divorce would be the best thing for them." Yusuke sighed.

"And now you're mumbling something that would have made our trip pointless if it were possible." Tomoya groaned.

"Then that must mean that Kyou only married Youhei because she was desperate, or that they cannot get over their inner insecurities and immaturity. Their love cannot survive, and there is nothing I can do." Yusuke sighed, staring up forlornly at the ceiling.

"Does everything have to get so extreme?" Tomoya growled. This was getting on his nerves.

"Love... Can be so fragile... The swift wind of lust can easily shatter even strong threads... When the binding fibers of marriage lock two souls together, too often those threads are loosed by other influences. Perhaps that's what's happening to Kyou and Youhei."

"Don't say that!" Tomoyo suddenly protested.

"The truth can hurt..." Yusuke sighed.

"Like I said, is everything so extreme? Are they really going to break up like this? Why aren't you putting any faith in them? Isn't that the point of faith and hope in the first place? We believe something good will happen, or we hope that it will come true, and at times it does happen, simply because by wishing for it we helped it come to us. Isn't there a high chance that their marriage will stay strong even though all this crap?" Tomoya demanded.

"That I do not know. That must be answered by the two of them. If they can't get over these pains of life, then they cannot be known as 'true lovers.' There is nothing you, nor I, nor even Tomoyo can do to help them. This trial must be overcome by the two of them, and no matter what we try to do for them, it will have no effect if they personally cannot overcome such hardships. Both of you should stand down and let them call the shots." Yusuke replied calmly.

Tomoyo and Tomoya stared at each other. Was this trip a waste of everyone's time after all?

* * *

I don't know what to say to him, or how we can get rid of this damn drama.

Ryou's fortune telling was quite accurate, and vague to a fault. She mentioned something about 'support,' and 'assistance,' but does that mean that Tomoya's few words of encouragement were meant to affect us deeply? For some reason, it seems like something's missing...

Youhei's nowhere to be found. I can't reach him by phone, and he hasn't shown up in any of his typical haunts. Where could he be...? Don't tell me he's truly decided to go with the flow... That idiot! I'll never forgive him if he finally gave up!

* * *

Youhei parked his car at a gas station miles away from the city where he now lived. After all, he had to be in a place where no one would know him, and far enough so that none of the people he cared about could find him. Yes, Sunohara realized that he had to think deeply about this, since trying to get help from his friends would do nothing for him and Kyou.

But, when it came to it, what would he say to her? Was it really necessary to worry about what everyone else thought about their marriage? Kaito Fujibayashi wanted what was best for his daughter, no matter what. He had eyes like any other person, so as long as he saw how Kyou was happy with Youhei, and how they lived so well together, he would definitely support their union eventually.

Youhei's own parents, too, did not want to see their son remain so worthless and they really didn't want a daughter-in-law who would end up hating them for a foolish mistake she made. If he and Kyou could prove that their wedding was no mistake, that they could truly live happily together as lovers, Youhei's parents and Mei would back off.

Once the parents backed off, well, who gave a care about those shallow 'friends' Kyou once had? Misae and Komura knew Tomoya and Tomoyo, and they knew who Youhei was. If they saw the success of their weddinig, Komura and Misae would also support them. There was no doubt in Youhei's mind that as long as he and Kyou could move on, they'd quickly shake off all those hard feelings that were surrounding them.

So Youhei gulped down on his spit. He was going to talk to Kyou personally. They didn't need anyone else, because they had each other. That was what mattered most now, so Tomoya, Tomoyo, and everyone else had no meaningful involvement in this.

And talk to her Youhei did, in the privacy of their home.

* * *

"Youhei! Where were you?! I ran all over town looking for you, but you weren't in any of the places you typically hang around at. What have you been doing this whole time?!" She growled, as usual, demanding an answer with a savage face.

"Kyou, where I was and all that isn't important. We need to talk, about our future." Sunohara responded with an equally tough face, his eyes burning with a fire that caught Kyou completely off guard. She never saw such conviction in him since, well, since the day he declared that he would always be with her till the day they died.

"Y... Youhei?" She mumbled, shocked at those eyes.

She watched his eyes soften. "Come on, Kyou." He spoke a little lighter this time, and he grabbed her hand, forcing her awake.

"So... What is it?" She blinked, wondering what he thought they should do from now on.

"You used to yell at me for being unable to stand up for myself, for being so lenient with my future. Well, since you seem to want to beg for outside help because of that tarot reading, you're being the same way now, and we both know how stupid that is. Kyou, instead of asking friends to help us, why don't we help ourselves?"

"But how will we accomplish that, exactly?"

"Simple. We don't have to give a damn about those idiot's opinions, right? Whatever we end up doing, they'll find some kind of fault with us. We can let that get into our heads... After all, who knows us better than ourselves?"

"You... You're not worried?"

"No. I've thought about this, and I've realized that I shouldn't give a damn. It's not like their opinions will help us, anyway..."

"You're not worried that we'll end up like Tomoya and Tomoyo before graduation, and that we'll have to separate because of their barrages of insults?"

"Should I?"

For a second Kyou seemed stunned, unable to believe what Youhei was saying. "No... No, you won't have to..." She replied meekly.

Youhei sighed and put his hand on her shoulder. "We'll be fine. Don't let them get to you. We'll just live our lives the way we want, and we'll pull through this."

Kyou nodded as she buried her head in his shoulder. Maybe this was the 'support' the card was referring to.

* * *

A few months passed, and many eyes still glared down Kyou and Youhei's backs as they went about in their daily lives.

With a sigh, Kyou walked about the aisles of the supermarket, dropping her goods in the basket. Even here, she recognized some of the people who she used to call "friends," but now they found her ridiculous, having chosen Youhei over all other guys.

But she didn't want to talk to or even think about them right now. Now she could just calmly get whatever she needed for dinner tonight.

As she walked around, she saw a familiar face in the dairy section.

"Tomoya?"

"Kyou!"

"Hah! Never thought I'd find you here. So Tomoyo asked you to do the work for her, right?"

"Well... It's our anniversary, so I thought I'd make her my signature fried rice."

"Oh, that's right..." Kyou blushed a little, embarrassed. "I'm sorry about that." She gave him a light bow. "Happy anniversary."

Tomoya smiled. "Don't worry about such little things, Kyou. You're just busy with your own life too."

"Heh... And with getting those idiots off our backs."

"You still have to deal with them? When will they realize that you aren't going to change your decision?" Tomoya facepalmed.

* * *

"Is that Sunhohara Kyou and Okazaki Tomoya? What is she doing with him?" The two heard some muttering nearby as they were checking out.

"I heard that Kyou once had a thing for Okazaki in high school... Maybe now that they're older, they can sneak around in other places, even if both are married to other people." Another person chuckled.

"Does that mean that Youhei truly is pathetic enough to lose his wife to someone else?" A third voice laughed.

Tomoya gave Kyou a worried glance, but she only closed her eyes and sighed.

"Let them say what they want. Both Tomoyo and Youhei are smart enough to trust the truth. Why would they listen to the people who have been bothering us this whole time?" Kyou turned to Tomoya with tired eyes.

"You've really given up worrying, haven't you?" Tomoya blinked.

* * *

Later that day, Tomoya told Tomoyo how he met Kyou all of a sudden at the market. Tomoyo laughed, remembering how Kyou told her about that market and how it was cheaper than the others. It shouldn't have been a surprise to find Kyou there.

And a few more weeks passed, but rumors spread pretty quickly.

As Tomoyo left her house and found herself heading off to work, she found Yusuke and Kouko taking a stroll.

"Hey! How's it been?" Tomoyo called, surprised to see them.

"Tomoyo, long time no see." Kouko smiled. Yusuke also nodded politely.

"Why the long face?" Tomoyo asked Yusuke, finding it strange that a family friend would be so cold.

"The love between the two of you might have waned, or so I've heard."

"What do you mean?"

"People have been saying that Tomoya has been spending a lot of time with Kyou, without you around."

"And why is that something alarming or even amazing? Kyou is our sister. Can't a man spend time with his sister?"

"But you're not biologically sisters, right?"

"Your point?"

Yusuke sighed. "Tomoya might be cheating on you."

Tomoyo's eyes narrowed. "Thank you for your concern, but I know who Tomoya and Kyou are, and I have no reason to believe that they could possibly do such things to Youhei and I."

"You... Have faith in your love? Youhei said something similar... Does this mean that there are no longer any barriers blocking the strength of your love?"

"Yes..." Tomoyo blinked.

Yusuke bowed low. "Congratulations, Okazaki Tomoyo. May you and your husband continue to love each other for the rest of your days." With that, Yusuke and Kouko exchanged goodbyes with Tomoyo and left.

* * *

1. Now if I were Youhei, I'd still feel depressed even if this happened during my five runs. A talk like this is far from a girl liking you, no, for I don't think a potential girlfriend would greet you by sending a dictionary headed for your face, so, well, poor poor Youhei, eh? This wouldn't count as an indication that Kyou likes him. At least, not to Youhei, unless he truly is pathetic. Kyou might be a Tsundere, but at that time she was purely tsun-tsun to him and gave him no dere, and thus he wouldn't know that she liked him in the first place. Heck, even she didn't know, let alone him.

**Spoiler for Yukine Route in Game:**

However, if she still talks to him after he's pulled his trousers down in front of her for apparently no reason at all, that shows something, doesn't it?... Even if she threw a dictionary at him first.


	10. Family

Family

A girl with long, dark bluish-grey hair is running about in a kitchen, with a much older man with the same color hair helping her move things around and handing her ingredients when she yells at him to hand them over.

"Dad! Have you cut that parsley yet?!"

"I'm working on it!"

"You know that this will taste bad if it sits too long. I need it quickly so that I can start stirring!"

"Right, I'm on it!"

As father and daughter are working on lunch, they hear the creaking of footsteps upstairs.

A boy, with short, purple hair, stumbles down the stairs.

"Can both of you keep it down? Mom's asleep, you know. If she wakes up..."

"And you weren't sleeping either?" His sister sneers.

"I'm not **that** lazy!" He protests.

"I'm sure..." She yawns.

"Here, I'll help."

"Sure, if you don't break something first." His sister laughs.

"Hey!"

"I'm joking... Sure, it would be great. Dad's getting old, so he can't do much anymore."

"What are you saying?!" Their father snarls, but sighs. He just can't control his kids anymore.

* * *

Kyou smiled as she lay under the covers. She could hear her family bickering downstairs, and it was quite funny hearing her daughter taking her place as the sharpest tongue of the family. The poor men of the house: Youhei and their son, Tadao, had to deal with the two women of the house: Kyou, and their daughter, Hatsumi, who both happened to be older than their counterparts.

Hatsumi was really acting just like her mother. If it weren't for the fact that she inherited Youhei's hair, they'd be twins.

Tadao tended to be calm and easygoing. Unlike his father, though, he didn't screw up that often. But, just like Youhei, Tadao would prefer sitting on his butt doing absolutely nothing at all then working, so it took Kyou and Hatsumi to force them into shape. The problem with daughter and mother having the same personality was the fact that once they got mad at each other, Tadao and Youhei would be forced to duck and pray that God wouldn't get the two women to kill each other. Mother and daughter could both be very, very destructive, smashing everything to get what they wanted.

Kyou sighed. As she heard her daughter and son argue, she remembered her old fights with Youhei, her quarrel with Tomoyo over Tomoya, and, finally, the day she realized that she did love Youhei after all.

She got up from bed and began to head for the door of her bedroom, when she promptly heard a crash. Immediately, Kyou ran out and down the stairs to see what was going on.

* * *

"Normal people do not smack others on the head with dishes. What the hell's wrong with you?!" Tadao growled at his sister, placing the beaten Youhei on a couch.

"He was pissing me off."

"He's our dad!"

"So?"

"He's not a freakin' punching bag."

"Do you want to feel the pain, too?" Hatsumi gave a smile.

A bead of sweat fell down Tadao's face. Yep, that was his mother's smile when she would get ready to explode. This would not end well.

Kyou also heard their conversation, and since they were speaking so lightly of their father, she felt that she had to intervene... After all, she was worried that "if Dad is not so great, Mom might be the same way," and Kyou did not want to end up having two disobedient kids, or she might end up strangling one of them.

"Both of you!" Kyou yelled, shocking them into silence.

"M... Mom? You saw, right? I was trying to defend Dad's honor..." Tadao smiled, backing slowly away from her, for he could see that glare in Kyou's eyes.

"What honor?" Hatsumi laughed. "If Dad truly was honorable, then he wouldn't be so pathetic... Sometimes I wonder how he could have married someone like Mom, since Mom and I are kinda similar..."

"Stop being so disrespectful to your father!" Kyou growled at her daughter.

"Then tell dad to make himself into a man, instead of being so pathetic."

At this Kyou scoffed. "You don't know the half of it. When he was a few years older than you, he was the worst idiot who ever walked on two legs... I had to deal with him in high school."

"And yet you end up marrying him, and having two kids to boot? Wow, Mom... That sucks..."

"DON'T SAY THAT!" Kyou snarled at her daughter.

"You're the one who smacked yourself on the mouth." Hatsumi laughed back at her.

"Oh shit... I'd better hide." Tadao thought as he quickly took cover behind a sofa.

"I'M YOUR MOTHER, WHAT KIND OF DAUGHTER ARE YOU?!"

"I REFUSE TO BE THE DAUGHTER OF TWO IDIOTS, AT LEAST TADAO DOESN'T **ALWAYS** SHAME THE FAMILY!"

"Look who's talking..." Tadao mumbled bitterly.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?!" Kyou roared, her eyes glowing a fierce red.

"I HATE BOTH OF YOU, YOU ARE THE WORST PARENTS A GIRL COULD EVER HAVE!" Hatsumi roared back, her eyes glowing just as red.

By this time, Youhei woke up, and hearing Kyou and Hatsumi start their duel, he quickly looked around for Tadao, and hid beside his son under the sofa.

"When... When did this all start?" Youhei whispered.

"When you were dumb enough to let sis smack you out cold with that plate." Tadao hissed back.

"When did she pull that off?"

"You don't remember?"

"I don't even know what hit me, all I know is that she was glaring at me and then everything went black."

"Ah... Well, then sis started disrespecting you again." Tadao looked away from his father's eyes, a gloomy look on his face.

"How...?" Youhei sighed.

"She called you pathetic, and told mom that she felt sorry for her for marrying you and having kids with you..."

"My own daughter thinks of me like that, huh..." Youhei looked as though he was about to cry.

"Well, dad, you just act so comedic half the time that it just makes you pathetic, but you know that sis doesn't _really_ mean what she says... You're a good dad, when you want to be. Otherwise you really do remind us of those idiots in a Saturday morning cartoon."

"So I'm nothing but a clown sometimes."

"That's right..."

"Does my personality have to haunt me throughout my life?"

"So mom was right, in that you were even worse in high school?"

Youhei's eyes widened. "When did she tell you that?!"

Before Tadao could answer, they heard a huge crash. "DAMN, I MISSED!" Hatsumi's yell pierced their ears.

"YOU'D HIT YOUR OWN MOTHER?!"

"AS IF YOU WOULDN'T HIT ME, CHILD ABUSER!"

"DO I HAVE TO TEACH YOU A LESSON?! FINE, COME AT ME, _LITTLE GIRL_."

"OH, YOU'RE JUST ASKING FOR IT, AREN'T YOU, _OLD HAG_!?... THEN BRING IT ON!"

"I take that back, both you _and_ mom could make it big working for the circus... So why is she a kindergarten teacher, and you're a law firm administrator-thing?"

"She wanted to follow her dream, do you think I have the right to stop her?"

"Well... Then what about you, dad?"

"I... I needed to find a job that would pay the most for the educational achievements I had."

"Hmn... Well, you pulled off something that would _seem_ useful to society."

"Exactly! Wait... Son, are you making fun of me?"

Tadao smiled. "Just take a moment to think about it, dad."

Youhei snarled at Tadao, who just smiled back. At this Youhei sighed. "Sometimes I wonder if Kyou was really faithful to me... You're just like Tomoya."

"Nah, Uncle Tomoya's too much of a pansy. _Oh, my dad was so mean to me when I was a kid, so I have to torture my __**best friend**__ in order to feel better._ Seriously, dad, if half of what Mom and Auntie Tomoyo have told me is true, then why do you still stick up for him all the time? Don't you think he went too far?"

"Well, a little, but I paid him back."

"And nearly pissed off mom while you were at it. Did you want to die?"

"Well, no, but..."

"Anyways, you still earn more than Uncle Tomoya, even after all this time. Komura and Misae should be the ones complaining, not sis."

Youhei chuckled. It was funny how Tomoya and Tomoyo named their son after the teacher who helped change Tomoya's life, and that Tomoyo named their daughter after the woman who inspired both her and Tomoya to become better people.

"So, in conclusion, I am your kid. Mom's not cheating on you."

"Wait a minute, you're only twelve, why am I talking about such things with you?"

"I'm smart for my age, right?" Tadao beamed.

"I guess..." Youhei looked worried.

With another BAM in the distance, Youhei and Tadao winced.

"I DON'T _EVER_ WANT TO HEAR YOU DISRESPECT ME OR YOUR FATHER AGAIN, DO YOU HEAR ME?!..." Kyou's scream made them both wince in place.

"Y... Yes, mommy..." Hatsumi started to cry.

Tadao and Youhei slowly peaked their heads over the sofa, and they could see a momentary flash of guilt in Kyou's eyes, but it quickly returned to her harsh self. "Go wash your face, and clean yourself up... I have to give it to you, though, you hit hard, and I'm sure no man will be able to hurt you. You've been training well, my daughter. That, and I haven't had such a good workout in a long while. Whew, thank you."

Hatsumi's watery eyes looked confused as she ran over to the sink to clean her face.

"Um... Mom?" Tadao murmured.

"Hmn?" Kyou turned over to her son.

"Ceasefire?"

"Of course, silly." Kyou smiled a little. "Both of you can come out now."

Youhei and Tadao emerged from their makeshift bunker. "Thank you, Kyou, for..."

But before Youhei could thank his wife for protecting his honor, Kyou stepped forward and gave him a stomp to the face, knocking him on the ground. Tadao quickly leapt back, but Kyou didn't hurt him. Instead, she glared down at Youhei.

"And you, do you even realize the consequences of having your daughter look down on you like that? You showed me that you aren't completely useless, and now you'll have to show her. And Tadao!" Kyou snarled at her son.

Tadao shivered a bit. "Yes... Mother?"

Kyou smiled. "Thanks for trying to keep order around here."

"That's... Um... My job..."

"Right." Kyou nodded happily. "Oh, shoot, now I have to clean the place. Hatsumi! When you're done, come and help your mother clean our mess."

"Yes..." Hatsumi called from the restroom, and later came over to do just that.

Tadao sighed as he looked at his mom, dad, and sister. "I honestly have no idea how I got myself into a family like this..." He thought bitterly.

But, he stepped forward and offered to the two women. "Can I help?"

With both of them happily accepting his offer, he slowly began to work beside his mother and sister. "Even though they scare me to death half of the time, and even if they act like idiots most of the time, well, they're the only people who'll always be there for me. We're a family, and we stick together, always. Nothing can change that." Tadao smiled to himself as he worked.

* * *

Kyou slept a little earlier than usual, Youhei noticed, but it could just be that she was tired from yelling at and having a fight with Hatsumi.

Tadao was too busy on the computer. He said something about working on a story, so Youhei didn't feel like bothering him. Hatsumi, meanwhile, was calling a few of her friends, but one look from Youhei convinced her not to mention the incident between her and Kyou over him.

Youhei yawned. Maybe it was time for him to take a nap. After all, they lived in a nice neighborhood and Hatsumi made a great alarm whenever something went wrong, so he decided to head over to the bedroom.

When he got there, though, he saw the strangest thing:

Kyou was talking in her sleep...

* * *

_A white light filled my eyes after I had closed them. I honestly had no idea what was going on._

_When the light faded, I found myself in the halls of our old high school, and someone let out a gasp from behind me._

_I turned, and... I saw myself..._

"_Who.. Who are you?" The younger me stepped back, clearly alarmed._

_I blinked for a second, trying to take it all in. "I'm... You... In about twenty five years."_

"_Really?" The younger me looked surprised. Then again, as she examined me from head to toe, she nodded. "You do look just like me... And, boy, am I glad that I'll look so pretty eventually." She laughed._

_I blushed a little, embarrassed at the bluntness of this younger me. "Hey, isn't class about to start for you?" I suddenly mentioned as my view happened to let me see a clock on the wall._

"_Huh? This is Saturday. Classes ended an hour ago." The younger me replied._

"_Oh... So you must be free."_

"_Of course. Why are you acting so strange?"_

"_Well... It's just been such a long time since I've been here. I'm still sort of caught off guard."_

"_Anyways, so how did you end up here?"_

"_I have no idea..." I thought for a bit. "Say, how are things with Tomoya?"_

_The younger me immediately blushed, and I smiled. I knew it, she loves him just as I did._

"_I... We... Nothing's happened between us... Say, you're me twenty-five years from now, right?"_

"_Well, I would be, but it looks that the fact that we're meeting now, and that I don't remember anything special like this happening to me, maybe I've stumbled into one of those 'parallel universes those games talk about?"_

"_Hmn... Then... Then what happened between you and Tomoya?"_

"_He fell in love with that other girl: Sakagami Tomoyo, and I was left in the dust."_

"_Oh... Oh, no! Does that mean...?"_

"_But Tomoya might not be the only guy with whom you can find happiness... Whom you can love..."_

"_Oh, you found yourself a lover?" The younger me looked excited._

_I smiled and nodded, barely able to contain my own joy. "And I married him!"_

"_Well, well, who is he?!" My younger self looked just as excited._

"_You.. You might not be happy when you hear who he is, though..." I blushed slightly, knowing that she'd give me the same look those people did not long ago._

"_It... Can't Be... Youhei?"_

_I nodded. "The Youhei I once knew, oh, sorry, the one you know is a weed, an infestation unfit to live among us humans."_

"_But, then..." My younger counterpart began, but I waved her silent._

"_But he will grow to become one of the most devoted, faithful, humorous, tough, and kindest men you will ever get to know. I love him more than I ever loved Tomoya, if he deserved even that."_

"_Huh..." My younger self seemed shocked, yet intrigued._

"_So don't be so quick to wave that idiot off. When he does grow, with your help, he will become that man. You will thank yourself for it."_

"_I'm happy that you feel that way, but I can hardly believe you. I can only hope that I won't grow up to be someone so desperate that she finds treasure in a mound of trash."_

"_You..." I sighed, knowing full well that she'd turn around and bother Youhei some more._

_But that's when another light flashed into our eyes, and a third person entered the conversation._

"_Gah!" My younger self was caught off guard by my husband's sudden appearance, though because of his gray-blue hair, she couldn't recognize him at all._

"_Youhei?" I turned to him._

"_Kyou... I overheard you talking in your sleep, and I got worried. Heh, now it looks like I'm joining you. Could this be some kind of psychic trick?"  
_

"_Whatever it is, it's been meaningful. Look over there." I pointed to my younger counterpart._

"_Kyou-chan?" He gasped when he saw her._

"_So you're Youhei... Of that universe?" She mumbled, taken off guard and confused._

"_Yeah... Huh, never thought I'd see this place again." Youhei started to look around._

"_Huh..." She didn't look that impressed._

"_Hey." I struck him lightly on the chest with the back of my left hand. "You shouldn't look so silly. We were just talking about you, you know."_

"_What particular things did you tell her about me?" His eyes narrowed._

"_I was supporting you. I told her how..." I felt myself blush. "How..." Dang it, why couldn't I say anything?_

_He put his arms around me. "Kyou... I can take over from here... I'm so sorry..."_

"_It's not that at all! I told her how I love the way you're always there for me and our kids, how you never seem to get broken down over things, how you can make a joke out of almost anything and keep it family-friendly **most** of the time..." I felt some tears flow down my cheeks and onto his shoulder._

"_Kyou..." He mumbled, smiling at me embarrassingly. Then he bent down and gave me a kiss._

_From the corner of my eye, I could see the other me turn beet red, and winked at her. That's right, I never got kissed except for that first moment with Youhei when I finally realized that I had feelings for him._

_We finally broke, both needing air, even as guests of a parallel universe, and I realized that I had little left to say to her._

"_Whatever you do..." I began, staring her in the eye. "Remember to do what will make you happy. I failed to chase Okazaki Tomoya, and maybe I'd be happy with him, too... But, between us three, I'm doubting that more and more. Sunohara Youhei is the man I love, and I have absolutely no regrets marrying him. He's been a better husband in many ways than I could possibly ask for, even if he still is a gratuitous idiot once in a while. He's the one for me, but maybe not for you... Take care..." I turned and began to return to the light._

"_Thank you..." I heard her call after me, and I felt myself getting pulled away._

* * *

_Once Kyou left, it was just me and this younger version of her._

"_She's right, Kyou-san." I turned to her. "Follow your heart, do what you think will make you happy, but you really should keep all options open."_

_She nodded._

"_I don't really know how to say this, now that she's not here... You're a good girl. Your temper can get really scary, but in the end your heart is pure. You'd make a great wife, I know from first hand experience, even if I've suffered some pain along the way. I, too, have no regrets about my marriage. I hope that you can find that happiness soon too, if not with me, then with Tomoya or some other great guy."_

"_Youhei..." She spoke, smiling and blushing a little._

"_Huh?"_

"_Now I know why she, no, why **I** married you... But, I'm sorry, right now my heart belongs to Tomoya."_

"_Then go for him, go for him with all you've got, and don't look back. The pain of unrequited love is far too great for you to be hesitant now."_

"_I... I will... Thank you, Youhei..."_

"_No problem." I started walking towards the light, but then I turned back. "Oh, and Kyou?"_

"_Hmn?"_

"_Treat the other me a bit nicer, alright? He's an idiot, unfortunately, but he's also a good guy."_

"_I... I will... Thank you for everything, Youhei." She smiled and blushed again._

"_No need, please take care." I smiled, turning and entering the light as well._

_I felt pulled back, and soon I awoke, finding Kyou next to me._

* * *

"So... Bright..." Tadao groaned as he got out of bed.

Once he left his room, he turned and saw both his parents clinging tightly onto each other. He spun around and found Hatsumi, and immediately ran up to her.

"What's going on, sis?"

"Can't you see? Mom and Dad are having a romantic moment. Let's not bother them." She replied with a smile.

"Ah... I'll shut up then..." Tadao nodded.

* * *

The sun shone through the windows as Kyou kept her tight grip on Youhei.

"Thank you so much..." She mumbled, crying into his shoulder.

He held her closer. "You've thanked me enough..." He smiled, looking into her eyes and drawing her into a kiss.

There was no other couple nearly as happy as the two were at that moment... And from then on the Sunohara's would find many, many more happy days to come.

_FIN_

* * *

So, well, the fic is over. Thank you for having read through the whole thing.

As a final note, Tadao has some of my personality put in him. Youhei and Kyou might not be my favorite characters, but I really like them both, and I find that Kyou's fiery temper reminds me of my mom... (Shivers.) But, yes, I really like this pairing and I feel like supporting it all the way, along with Tomoya and Tomoyo, which has a great route in the Visual Novel, but I do not support Tomoyo After due to its ending and parts of its plot.

As you might be able to guess, I have another fic on the way. Reread the dream sequence, if you will, and you can guess the content of that next fic.


End file.
